CBSE Class 12 Board Exams cancelled. Modi takes pro-student decision

Great news has arrived for students and anti examers (if that’s a thing)! Prime Minister Modi has cancelled the CBSE Class 12 board exams (State syllabus board exams will soon come to a decison). Students who barely sat through a single online class are heaving a huge sigh of relief.

High-level meeting chaired by PM Modi

Modi’s image and persona may have dulled post the second wave, but students at the brink of the biggest examination of their lives are sure to reserve their votes for him after this announcement.

This decision comes after the CBSE Class 10 Board exams for 2021 were also cancelled recently. The announcement followed Modi chairing a meeting on the matter today.

Key takeaways from the CBSE Meet

• The meeting on the CBSE class 12 board exams commenced at 5:30 pm today and ended on a sweet note for the thousands of CBSE students preparing hard across the country. 
• Officials who were part of the meet put forward detailed presentations. Modi participated in extensive consultations and discussions with state governments.
• Stakeholders, state education ministries, and central education board officials were present at this high-level meeting.
• The Prime Minister was briefed on all possible options for class 12 students on the verge of writing examinations.
• State governments received collective feedback regarding the decision taken and the same will soon be conveyed to the Supreme Court by the Attorney General.

Reasons cited by Modi for exam cancellation – Best interest of Indian students

• Modi stated that the decision was taken in the best interest of students.
• The Pandemic, specially the second wave in India is the main cause for cancelling the board exams.
• He highlighted the importance of health and safety among all else.
• Modi explicitly stated that the government was unwilling to compromise on health and safety over examinations.
• Student anxiety and parental pressure is unwelcome during the pandemic, and this decision puts an end to both.
• He also mentioned that exams shouldn’t become a risk factor for students during these unprecedented times.
• Also, forcible studying is counter-productive among talented, young minds, and this is also a major contributing factor which resulted in the decision.
• Another interesting statement issued by the Prime Minister is about how Covid is currently a very dynamic situation in India. Although the rising curve of cases may falter, but the impact is still very hard across the country. Lockdowns are being imposed and lifted in various parts of states.
• Health and safety are major causes of worry. Students need to be able to prioritise the same without having to spend study hours throughout days and nights, worrying about the results.

What you need to know about the CBSE 12^th Board exams:

The CBSE 12^th Board exam is an important school leaving exam which is a gateway for students to gain college entry. The cancellation of the exams has impacted 1.4 crore  students’ educational future which has already taken a hit due to a sudden change in learning methodology, and due to the endless disruptions to examinations and classes.

However, the decision of cancellation is welcome especially during the very trying times in the country. We agree with Modi on the importance of health over exams. 

The good news is that students desiring to take the exams will be given the option to do so once the situation improves.

If not exams, then what?

Of course, students need to be cleared of their 12^th classes, and if there are no exams, evaluators will follow a ‘well-defined objective criteria’ to create results for individual students in a ‘time-bound manner’.

They will be assessed on past exams and past performance will be an indicator of how well the student has done in their class 12.

Students of class 12 across India are celebrating.

Students across India were quick to share reactions online and celebrate the decision as Twitter predictably exploded with memes moments after the announcement. Here’s a roundup of the best reactions on Twitter: