SC order on CBSE class 10, 12 board exams on June 25, Centre submits sealed report

The Supreme Court will pronounce its decision on class 10 and class 12 pending board exams of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on June 25. The Centre on Wednesday submitted a sealed report to the Supreme Court regarding the CBSE board exams. The SC will decide on this matter at 11 am on Thursday.

The CBSE board exams for both class 10 and class 12 is scheduled to begin on July 1. In the wake of the rising cases of coronavirus COVID-19, several states have demanded the cancellation of the exams.

On June 23, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar that the government and the board are aware of the anxiety of students, and the authorities concerned will take a decision on the issue very soon.

The apex court, which also heard through video-conferencing a separate petition regarding the exams to be conducted by the council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (ICSE) amid the pandemic, posted the matter for hearing on June 25 noting that the Centre is likely to take an "informed decision" with regard to the CBSE exams.

On June 17, the CBSE had told the apex court that it would "very shortly" take appropriate decision on the issue raised in a plea which has sought quashing of the board's notification for conducting remaining examinations of Class XII.

Raising concern over the safety of lakhs of students, the plea filed in the apex court has said that they might be exposed to COVID-19 infection if they have to appear in the examinations amid an increase in the number of cases of virus infection.