CBSE Board exams 2021: Rahul Gandhi appeals Centre to reconsider conducting exams

Since the number of COVID-19 cases are rising, there have been demands from students, parents to cancel the CBSE board examinations.

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday (April 11) appealed to the government to reconsider conducting the CBSE board exams in view of the devastating second wave of COVID-19.

MP Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to point out that all stakeholders must be consulted before making sweeping decisions. He said in his tweet, “In the light of the devastating Corona second wave, conducting #CBSE exams must be reconsidered. All stakeholders must be consulted before making sweeping decisions.”

“On how many counts does GOI intend to play with the future of India’s youth?” he added.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also wrote a formal letter to the Education Minister  Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ asking him to reconsider allowing the CBSE to conduct exams amid the current surge in COVID-19 cases.

In the letter she said, “Students prepare for these exams for months on end as they determine the future course of their lives. Yet lakhs of children and parents from all over India have been expressing their fears and apprehensions about assembling at exam centers to sit for the exams in the middle of the second wave of COVID-19.″

“It will be practically impossible to ensure safety of students at large. Given the nature and spread of the virus, it is not just the students who will be at risk but also their teachers, invigilators and family members who are in contact with this,” she added.

The CBSE Class 10 exams would be held between May 4 and June 7, and those for Class 12 would be held between May 4 and June 15. But since the number of COVID-19 cases are rising, there have been demands from students, parents for canceling the examinations.

Meanwhile, India recorded 1,52,879 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. 10 states in India account for 86.41 per cent of new COVID-19 deaths and 80 per cent of fresh cases.