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Tag: Class 12 exams

  • Class 12 exams: Duly followed assessment scheme, CBSE to Supreme Court

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that it has “duly followed” the assessment scheme in evaluating marks of class XII students whose exams were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The counsel appearing for the CBSE made the statement before a bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and C T Ravikumar which was hearing a batch of pleas, including those which have alleged that the board has failed in properly implementing the procedure of dispute redressal mechanism relating to the result of class 12 exams.

    “We have duly followed the policy,” the counsel representing the CBSE told the bench.

    On June 17, the top court had approved the assessment schemes of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) and the CBSE, which had adopted the 30:30:40 formula for evaluation of marks for students of 12th standard based on results of class 10, 11, and 12 respectively.

    During the hearing on Wednesday, the counsel appearing for petitioners in one of the pleas referred to a chart and claimed there was a variance of around 24 per cent between the marks of one of the students as per the 30:30:40 formula and the marks awarded by the CBSE after moderating it with school average score.

    “That is the evaluation scheme. Is it not? The school performance is also relevant,” the bench observed.

    The bench asked the counsel appearing for the CBSE about the grievance raised by the petitioners.

    The CBSE’s counsel, while referring to an affidavit filed by the board in the matter, said the chart showing variation in marks has been prepared on the basis of the “wrong reading” of the evaluation policy.

    He said the affidavit has stated that the chart referred to by some of the petitioners has been prepared by taking into account only one component of the overall computation of marks, whereas the evaluation policy provides for taking into consideration several other relevant aspects, including historical performance of the school, overall school average and moderation criteria, for which a special software was developed by the board.

    The counsel said the board has said in its affidavit that once all the data is fed into the software, it automatically analyses the performance of students for that particular year on the basis of the policy.

    The lawyer representing some of the petitioners said their school has also made a complaint to the CBSE on this aspect.

    The petitioner’s counsel said he would file a rejoinder to the CBSE’s affidavit after which the bench granted him one week’s time for it.

    On October 8, the apex court had asked the CBSE to file its response on two separate pleas on the issue.

    One of the petitions has claimed that the board has failed in implementing the procedure of dispute resolution mechanism, prescribed in a circular which was issued in August this year in compliance with the apex court’s June 17 order.

    On June 17, the top court had approved the assessment schemes of the CISCE and the CBSE and had also said that it should incorporate the provision for dispute resolution in case students want correction of the final result.

    One of the petitions, filed by class 12 pass-out students, has claimed that their marks have not been calculated based on their actual performance adopting the 30:30:40 formula of the CBSE.

    It said the petitioners have been awarded lessor marks, causing great prejudice to them.

    The plea has alleged that the CBSE provided the mechanism for dispute resolution but “only on paper and failed in implementing the same in reality which has caused great prejudice to the petitioner students and it will cause irreparable loss to them if the same gets unresolved”.

    It said the issue for consideration before the apex court is whether or not the concerned authority is duty-bound to decide the cases raised through the proper channel of dispute redressal mechanism bypassing a reasoned/ speaking order after considering the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case.

    It has also sought direction that their results be declared based on the 30:30:40 formula and by taking into account the actual marks obtained by them.

    The CBSE had earlier said it would evaluate class 12 students for theory based on 30 per cent marks from class 10 board, 30 per cent from class 11, and 40 per cent from marks based on the performance in the unit, mid-term, and pre-board tests in class 12.

    It had said that marks obtained by class 12 students in practical and internal assessment on an actual basis as uploaded by schools on the CBSE Portal would be also considered in deciding final results.

    The top court had on June 17 referred to the schemes of assessment of both the boards and said there was no “question of reversing the earlier decision regarding cancellation of examination” because no prejudice will be caused to students as they can still appear in the optional examination to be concluded in due course.

    The court had passed the order while hearing the pleas seeking directions to cancel the class 12 exams of the CBSE and CISCE amid the pandemic situation.

  • SC directs state boards to declare internal assessment results by July 31

    By PTI
    EW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the state boards to declare internal assessment results of Class 12 examination by July 31, making it clear that there can’t be a “fit-all” scheme and each board was autonomous and free to formulate its own evaluation method for students.

    Stating that it will not pass any direction for having a uniform scheme for assessment across the country, the apex court directed the state boards to ensure that scheme be formulated at the earliest and not later than 10 days from Thursday.

    A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari observed that each board will have to evolve their own scheme.

    “We direct the boards to ensure that the scheme be formulated at the earliest and not later than 10 days from today and also declare the internal assessment results by July 31, 2021, like the time line specified for CBSE and CISCE,” the bench said in its order.

    The top court was hearing a plea which has sought directions to states to not hold board examinations in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “We make it clear that each board may formulate their own scheme. However, we further make it clear that we are not endorsing the correctness and validity of scheme that will be formulated by the concerned board…,” the bench said.

    During the hearing conducted through video-conferencing, the bench was told by an advocate appearing in the matter that state boards which have cancelled the class 12 examinations amid the pandemic may be asked to have a uniform scheme for assessing students.

    “That may not be acceptable because every state board has their own scheme. It cannot be uniform. We are not going to direct for uniform scheme. Each board will have to evolve their own scheme,” the bench said, adding that each board is different and autonomous. It said each state boards have experts to advise them and there cannot be a uniform all India scheme for this.

    “There cannot be a fit-all scheme,” the bench observed, adding, “We have made it clear that each board is autonomous and they will have their own scheme”.

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    The counsel appearing for Haryana school education board told the bench that the petitioner is seeking a uniform formula for assessment.

    “That we have already made it clear that each board can have their own scheme,” the bench said.

    The apex court noted in its order that state of Assam has filed an affidavit stating that examinations for class 10 and 12 have been cancelled and scheme is being formulated by the board for internal assessment of marks.

    “That be done expeditiously. In addition, the scheme must provide for a mechanism for redressal of grievance of students after declaration of results as done by the CBSE and CISCE,” the bench said.

    The top court also noted that National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) has cancelled the board examinations and is in the process of formulating the scheme for assessment.

    The apex court was earlier informed by the Assam and Tripura governments that they have cancelled their state boards of Class 12 exam due to the pandemic.

    On June 17, the top court was informed that out of 28 states, six states have already conducted the board exams, 18 states have cancelled them, but four states (Assam, Punjab, Tripura and Andhra Pradesh) have not cancelled them as of now.

  • SC refuses to interfere with CBSE, CISCE assessment scheme for evaluating Class 12 students

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to interfere with the assessment scheme propounded by both CBSE and CISCE for evaluation of Class 12 students, whose board examinations have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The top court rejected the objections raised by a parents’ body as well as students and said that it is not possible to have a second guess approach with regard to various aspects of the assessment scheme.

    A special bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari said, “We accept the scheme as propounded by both the boards-(CBSE and CISCE)”.

    The bench also noted the submission of Attorney General K K Venugopal, assisting the court in individual capacity and also appearing for the Centre, that University Grants Commission (UGC) will issue directives to all the colleges and varsities that admissions be made after the declaration of results by all the boards — CBSE, CISCE and state boards.

    ALSO READ | CBSE, CISCE given 1 day to address marking concern

    The top court, which dealt with all the major objections of the interveners — Uttar Pradesh Parents’ Association, and second compartment and private students — said the scheme propounded cannot be doubted on the mere apprehension of manipulation of marks by the CBSE schools to favour their own students.

    The bench rejected the submission of senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for UP Parents Association, Lucknow, that option to students for external examination as given in the CBSE’s scheme should be offered at the very initial stage to both the school and the students and the results should be declared together.

    It said that after hearing the views of Venugopal, “We are of the view that this suggestion cannot be taken forward.

    This would result in denial of an option to the students and also result in increasing the uncertainty until the exam of improvisation is conducted and the results are declared”.

    The bench said that if students are given the option of internal assessment then as per the schemes, their results will be declared by July 31 and thereafter they can opt for improvisation, if their marks are less.

    Therefore, the suggestions given cannot be accepted, the bench said, adding that the boards have taken a conscious decision to cancel the class 12 exams, which is in larger public interest.

    ALSO READ | Supreme Court approves CBSE’s 30:30:40 formula to compute class XII board results

    It said that on the suggestion that the results (of both physical examination and internal assessment) be declared on the same date to avoid students missing the opportunity in admissions to colleges, the Attorney General has made statement on instructions that UGC will direct all universities to complete the process of admissions after declaration of results by all the boards.

    “In view of the above we hold that there is no reason to interfere with the scheme propounded by CBSE and CICSE,” the bench said, adding that the schemes take into account the concerns of all sets of students.

    With regard to compartment and private students, the bench said that they will be allowed to take the physical examination to be held by CBSE in between August 15 and September 15, 2021.

    On Monday, the top court had asked the CBSE and the CISCE to respond to the concerns raised by some students and parents on the schemes of both the boards formulated to evaluate Class 12 students.

    The UP parents’ association and the students have flagged several concerns with regard to the CBSE and ICSE schemes for evaluation for Class 12 results and said that many clauses are arbitrary and would be detrimental to future prospects of the students.

    Earlier, the CBSE and CISCE boards told the Supreme Court that class 12 board examination results would be declared by July 31 and the students, desirous of taking up the board examination physically of CBSE can do so between August 15 and September 15, subject to conducive pandemic situation.

    The CISCE has said its students can take improvement examinations which may commence from September 1, subject to the situation remaining conducive.

    The apex court was told by both Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CICSE) that they have amended their respective evaluation scheme to assess Class 12 students and incorporated a dispute resolution mechanism for the candidates who have any objections with regard to the results.

  • Class 12 Exams: SC asks CBSE, CISCE to provide for dispute resolution in assessment schemes

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Thursday directed CISCE and CBSE to incorporate provisions for disputes resolution in their assessment schemes themselves for those students who may be dissatisfied with the marks awarded in the class 12 board results.

    A special vacation bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari said that it was prima facie agreeable to the assessment schemes of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) and the Central Board of Secondary Examination (CBSE) for granting marks to students of class 12 boards in view of the cancellation of exams in view of the COVID pandemic.

    The top court said however that “the assessment scheme must incorporate the provisions for dispute resolution in case students want correction of final result declared and the second is for declaration of results and when the timeline for optional exams would be declared”.

    Attorney General K K Venugopal, appearing for the CBSE and senior advocate J K Das, representing CISCE, agreed to the suggestions of the top court which fixed the pleas for hearing on Monday when senior lawyer Vikas Singh, for some interveners, would advance arguments on assessment schemes.

    The top court, meanwhile, made clear that there will be no roll back of the decision to cancel class 12 board exams.

    It prima facie approved the assessment schemes of CISCE and CBSE, which has adopted 30:30:40 formula for evaluation of marks for students based on results of class 10, 11 and 12 respectively.

    The CISCE said however that it would consider the performance of students for last six classes, unlike CBSE which is taking note of performance in class 10, 11 and 12 exams, in finalising the final board results.

    Both the boards said they would declare the results on or before July 31.

    The bench was hearing pleas seeking directions to cancel the class 12 exams of the CBSE and CISCE due to the pandemic.

  • Hold Class 12 practicals in online mode, says CBSE

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Monday asked all schools affiliated with it to complete internal assessments by June-end and conduct practical examinations for Class 12 students online.

    The directive comes a week after the Centre, following a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, decided to cancel the board examination this year in view of the pandemic.

    Nearly 12 lakh students had registered for the examinations, traditionally held in the month of March every year.

    The government has said students will be evaluated instead through a “well-defined” and “time-bound” criteria for an assessment plan, which is now being drafted and will include internal assessment among others.

    CBSE sources said many schools had approached it saying carrying out internal assessments was proving to be difficult as conducting practicals was a problem due to the Covid situation.

    “Schools with pending internal assessment and practicals should complete them through online mode and submit to the board by 28 June,” read the CBSE circular. 

    The earlier deadline for uploading marks was June 11. The latest order gives schools extension for conducting practical work while underlining that no further extension will be given. 

    ​Schools have also been asked to strictly adhere to Covid protocols while conducting the assessments.

  • Uttar Pradesh Board cancels class 12 exams due to Covid-19 pandemic

    By PTI
    LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Board on Thursday cancelled the class 12 examination.

    The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in which Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma, who holds charge of Secondary Education department, was also present.

    Additional Chief Secretary, Information, Navneet Sehgal said that “examination for the UP board class 12 has been cancelled.”

    In a tweet in Hindi, the chief minister said, “In the present circumstances amid the Covid pandemic, health safety of children is our priority.

    Taking inspiration from Prime Minister, the UP government has decided not to hold class 10 and 12 board examinations.

    Nearly 26 lakh candidates are registered for the class 12 board exams in the state.

    The state had last month cancelled class 10 UP Board exam following which nearly 30 lakh candidates, who had registered for it, were promoted to class 11.

    Many state boards have cancelled the class 12 exam after the Union government on Tuesday decided to cancel the CBSE Class 12 board exams amid 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.

  • Final decision on Class 12 exams to be based on ‘widest possible’ consultation: Sources

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The final decision on the fate of Class 12 board exams will be based on widest possible consultative process, and it will also be the best possible option keeping in mind the current situation and students’ future prospects, government sources said on Monday.

    They said the high-level meeting, which was held on Sunday and was attended by several Union ministers and representatives from states, regarding the board exams came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for such a consultation to take into account suggestions and ideas from states.

    Modi had chaired a meeting on May 21 where the Union Education Ministry briefed him about the extensive consultations done with teachers and parents, and also informed him about the options at hand about the exams, they said.

    Noting that the government has to take a decision keeping in mind the present security of the children due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as their future prospects, he told them to hold a high level meeting with all states and senior Union ministers to take into account suggestions and ideas.

    “Thus, the final decision will be based on widest possible consultative process and will be the best possible option keeping in mind the current situation and future prospects,” a source said.

    Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had chaired the crucial meeting on Sunday which was convened to decide on the Class 12 board exams and subsequent entrance examinations that were postponed due to the second wave of COVID-19.

    Union ministers Smriti Irani, Prakash Javadekar and Sanjay Dhotre also attended the meeting, besides education ministers and secretaries of several states and union territories.

    Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ had said after the meeting that there is a broad consensus among states about conducting Class 12 board exams and an “informed, collaborative” decision will be taken by June 1.

    ALSO READ | Most states favour conducting Class 12 board exams, final decision on June 1

    The education sector is divided on the government’s plan to conduct the Class 12 board exams in a different format amid a growing call from a section of students and parents for their cancellation due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    While many argued that the exams are “crucial and an alternative assessment will not be able to do justice”, others said “wellbeing” of students and teachers should be priority in such an extraordinary situation.

    The Union Education Ministry, after a high-level meeting on Sunday, said there is a broad consensus among states to conduct the exams and that a final decision will be announced by June 1.

    National Students’ Union of India president Neeraj Kundan said, “Conducting exams for these 19 subjects could be equally dangerous as it would have been for all the subjects and considering the present conditions in the country this is not the risk which the Modi government should take. Risking lives of the students is certainly the last thing this government should do.”

    Anubha Srivastava Sahai, President of India Wide Parents Association, said, “Complete chaos in India due to no unanimous decision regarding board exams. It’s all pre-planned. They have plans to conduct it in July as they could not make arrangements for online exam and internal assessment it’s their failure.”

    Ashok Pandey, Director of Ahlcon Group of Schools, said, “Exams are important but in extraordinary situations, empathy, concern for wellbeing should precede efforts to conduct exams.”

    ALSO READ | CBSE Class 12 exams in Kerala: Online mode, self-centres suggested

    RC Jain, President of Delhi State Public Schools’ Management Association, said, “We are ready to conduct exams. It is unfair of the Delhi government to use vaccination as an excuse for not conducting the exams. The exams are crucial and an alternative assessment will not be able to do justice.”

    At Sunday’s meeting, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said his government is not in favour of the options being explored by CBSE to conduct the exams and going ahead with the process without vaccinating students will prove to be a big mistake.

    Educationist Meeta Sengupta said, “It takes courage to take really safe decisions. It is easy to water down the status quo. At least make it voluntary and promise a certificate of completed requirements to standards for those who dont need to chase marks.”

    According to sources, the CBSE has proposed conducting exams between July 15 and August 26 and the result to be declared in September.

    The board also proposed two options: conducting regular exams for 19 major subjects at notified centres or conducting shorter duration exams at respective schools where students are enrolled.

    ALSO READ | Karnataka Minister S Suresh Kumar backs holding Class 12 Board exams

    The first option proposed during the Sunday meet was conducting exams at designated centres for 19 major subjects.

    “For minor subjects assessment can be based on performance in major subjects. This can be done if three months of time period is clearly and safely available to the board. August could be a likely month for holding the exams and the whole process is likely to go on till September end,” a source said.

    Elaborating on the second option, the source said, “the exams can be conducted twice by the board depending upon the conducive situation. If a student is not able to appear due to any COVID related matter, he or she will be provided another opportunity to sit for exams.”

    “The exams will be of 90 minutes duration instead of three hours and will be conducted in same schools where students are enrolled. The questions will be objective and very short answer type. Students will have to appear in one language and three elective subjects,” the source added.

    The tentative timeline for this option is the first phase of exams from July 15 to August 1 and the second phase from August 8-26.

    “Exams are proposed to be conducted on Sundays also,” the source said.

    The hashtag “cancelboardexams” also trended on Twitter as the meeting was underway.

  • Most states favour conducting Class 12 board exams, final decision on June 1

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  A high-level meeting on Sunday discussed whether to conduct Class 12 board exams at designated centres for 19 major subjects or hold shorter exams at schools but no decision was taken due to lack of consensus. The meeting was chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and attended by Union ministers Ramesh Pokhriyal, Prakash Javadekar, Smriti Irani and Sanjay Dhotre, besides education ministers and secretaries of several states. 

    According to sources, the CBSE proposed that exams be held between July 15 and August 26 and the result declared in September.  Most states left it for the Centre to take the call, but Maharashtra said the examinations should be cancelled altogether, while Delhi and Kerala suggested that all students must be vaccinated before the tests. 

    “Following detailed discussion with states, it was decided that more deliberation will be carried out,” said an official. The states were asked to send their suggestions by Tuesday.  Meanwhile, sources said neither the CBSE nor the government is in favour of cancelling the examinations. “The option of holding CBSE board exams in 19 major subjects found support from many states. For other subjects, a different way such as internal assessments could be chalked out,” an official said. A decision is likely by June 1. 

  • Class 12 exams: Priyanka Gandhi bats for cancellation, slams government for stretching decision for months

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Asserting that the second wave of COVID-19 has shown that children are vulnerable to new strains, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday reiterated her call for not holding the CBSE Class 12 exams, and slammed the government for stretching the decision on it for months.

    The Congress general secretary said expecting children who are already under immense pressure to sit for their exams wearing all sorts of protective gear for hours at a stretch day after day is “insensitive and unfair”.

    Her remarks came ahead of a crucial meeting called by the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Sunday to decide on pending Class 12 board exams and subsequent entrance examinations that were postponed due to the second wave of COVID-19.

    “Students studying for the CBSE 12th grade examinations have been sharing their concerns about these exams being held during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic. Their health and safety MATTERS,” Gandhi said in a tweet.

    “Why are we not learning our lessons?” she asked.

    Gatherings in closed spaces promote the spread of COVID-19 and this wave has shown that children are vulnerable to new strains, she said in a series of tweets.

    “In any case expecting children who are already under immense pressure to sit for their exams wearing all sorts of protective gear for hours at a stretch day after day is insensitive and unfair,” the Congress leader said.

    Many of them are likely to have family members who are down with COVID-19 too and they are already dealing with enough stress, she asserted.

    “I fail to understand the reasoning behind holding these exams, not to mention having stretched this decision out for months,” Gandhi said.

    “I have said this before and am repeating it again. The mental health of children is as important as their physical well being. It’s about time our education system incorporates sensitivity towards children’s well being and starts taking these issues seriously,” she said.

    The high-level meeting called by the Education Ministry will be chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

    Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani as well as Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar will be among those present.

    Education ministers and secretaries of all states and union territories have been asked to attend the meeting.

    The CBSE had on April 14 announced the cancellation of Class 10 exams and postponed Class 12 exams due to the surge in COVID-19 cases.

    The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    The CBSE had announced that a decision on the Class 12 board exams will be taken on or after June 1.

    A section of students and parents have been demanding that the exams be cancelled in the wake of the pandemic situation.

  • Uttarakhand cancels class 10 board exams amid Covid surge; class 12 exams postponed

    By Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand government has decided to cancel the class 10 exams while class 12 exams have been postponed and a call will be taken on the same on June 1. 

    Arvind Pandey, state education minister said, “The decision is for the safety of the children from Covid 19 infection. The new strain is also affecting children. We all need to be cautious ans careful. The decision on class 12 exams will be taken on June 1.”

    Uttarakhand Board of Secondary Education class 12 exams were scheduled to begin from May 4 onwards. Last year, 1.19 lakh students appeared for class 12 and 1.47 lakh for class 10 exams held by the UBSE. 

    This decision by the Uttarakhand board has been taken on the lines of CBSE, who cancelled class 10 exams and postponed class 12 exams earlier this week.

    Schools from classes 1-12 have been shut down in Haridwar, Dehradun and Haldwani till April 30, due to spike in Covid 19 cases.

    The class 10 students will be promoted to the next class, class 11 on the basis of the marks obtained in the internal assessment and pre-boards, said state education department officials.