Evaluation criteria for Class 12 under consideration, decision in two weeks: CBSE

NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Thursday said that the evaluation criteria for Class 12 is under consideration and would take up to 2 weeks.

Sharing more details, CBSE Secretary Anurag Tripathi said, “CBSE evaluation criteria for Class 12 are under consideration and it would take up to 2 weeks. Experts would look at all the possibilities and make a decision soon.”

CBSE evaluation criteria for Class 12 are under consideration and it would take upto 2 weeks. Experts would look at all the possibilities and make a decision: CBSE Secretary Anurag Tripathi pic.twitter.com/ksDRAuHbgl — ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2021

Tripathi further said that if students are not satisfied with the evaluation process then an option of re-exam will be available for them after COVID-19. "We are making sure that students do not face any issues when it comes to results. Want to assure students that they will have their results before admissions to higher universities begin," the CBSE official said.

We are making sure that students do not face any issues when it comes to results. Want to assure students that they will have their results before admissions to higher universities begin: CBSE secretary Anurag Tripathi — ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2021

The remarks from the CBSE official came shortly after the Supreme Court said that it was happy to note that the government has cancelled the class 12 board exams, and directed the CBSE and CICSE to place on record well-defined objective criteria for assessment of students in two weeks.

A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari asked Attorney General KK Venugopal and advocate JK Das, appearing for the CISCE, to place on record the parameters within two weeks. “We are happy to note that the government has taken the decision to cancel class 12 board exams but we want that the objective criteria fixed for assessment of marks be placed before us,” the bench said.

The bench clarified that it will not give more time for placement of objective criteria as many students will be taking admissions in colleges in India and abroad. The top court said that it will go through the objective parameters for the assessment of marks so that if anyone has objections they can be dealt with. “This is equally important as the relief sought by the petitioners seeking cancellation of board exams,” the bench observed.

The bench was hearing a plea seeking directions to cancel the class 12 exams of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) amid the pandemic situation.

At the outset, Venugopal said that he has circulated a letter about the decision taken by the government, which the bench said it has gone through. Veugopal said that CBSE will require some time to formulate the well-defined objective criteria for the assessment of class 12 students and the court may defer the hearing for at least two weeks.

Das said CISCE wanted 3-4 weeks for placing the objective criteria as there will be consultation of experts in the process. The top court then deferred the hearing by two weeks. 

On June 1, the government has decided to cancel the CBSE Class 12 board exams because of the COVID-19 pandemic with Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserting that the decision has been taken in the interest of students and that the anxiety among students, parents and teachers must be put to an end.

The call was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Modi in which it was decided that the CBSE will take steps to compile the results of class 12 students as per well-defined objective criteria in a time-bound manner.

On May 31, Centre has informed the top court that it will take a final decision within the next two days on whether to conduct class 12 board exams amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The CBSE had on April 14 announced cancellation of class 10 exams and postponement of class 12 exams in view of the surge in coronavirus cases.