“I don’t know if this is good or bad news!” This spirit is felt across the country as parents and students weigh in on the government’s decision to postpone grade 12 and cancel the CBSE Board’s 10th grade exams. Students were concerned about the impact of the delay of the 12th grade exams on the admission process, some were also worried about the board test process they would use in the 10th grade.
Students are worried about college admissions
The daughter of architect Rajesh Advani Kirti Advani, a Grade 12 student at a Delhi-based private school, said, “I don’t know if this will make me happy or upset” – to her parents when they heard about the government’s decision.
Although his parents like many others are comfortable that between health and testing the government has chosen the first one. “Postponing the 12th grade test is a good step, but my daughter is worried. We have come to the point where we have to decide between health and exams. It is good that the government has chosen that,” said Rajesh.
Grade 12 student Vashishth Choudhury, who is studying engineering at Indore, says he is relieved to know that his exams have been postponed. “Although my friends were upset as they had plans to apply to study abroad. I am as relaxed as I would have been in JEE, and the results of the 12th class would not have weighed on my admission.”
Cancellation is OK but not the end of the concern
Pankaj Gupta, a businessman, is not happy about the cancellation of class 10 boards. Her daughter had to write 10th grade exams and was ready. “Grade 10 is the foundation of every student. I am of the opinion that the government is evading the responsibility of handling these exams properly. If some things don’t stand still, why the exams?”
He said the government should be flexible and develop a strategy for conducting exams for those who wish to appear.
Consider the impact of online classes while examining Class 10 students
Saumya Singh, a 10th grader at a government-run CBSE affiliate school in Rae Bareli is relieved of the decision but at the same time is concerned about the upcoming exams. He urges the CBSE to develop guidelines for the challenges of online education challenges.
He told, “For a whole year online education has not been good. Schools remained largely closed and when they reopened, my parents did not give me permission to join the teaching classes. Online education did not give me time to dispel doubts even though there were recorded lectures but the clarity that comes with contacting people is a miss. The assessment process for 10th graders should look at whether classes are held online.”
The government has decided that the results of the Class 10 Board will be adjusted on the basis of “prescribed procedures”. A Board is yet to be formed. Singh, however, is pleased to know that anyone who is dissatisfied with the marks allocated to him on this special basis will be given the opportunity to write the exams there if the circumstances allow. “Anyway why are we making things difficult … we can’t keep running after this. Marks should be awarded in line with online educational challenges,” he said.
