BOARD EXAMINATION AUTHORITIES IN RUSH FOR PREPARATION OF PAPERS
CBSE board has a few board examination remaining for class 12th that are said to be conducted between 1 to 15 July.
However, coronavirus cases have not been declined and the big question arises, whether is it a good option to take the examinations in July and risking the lives of lakhs of students who would be appearing to give exams. Also, should these remaining exams be made compulsory or optional?
The capital is encountering a rise in COVID 19 patients every day, the school all over the country are uncertain about the pending exams. Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Indian School Certificate Exams (ICSE) has already announced to take the remaining papers in July.
The exams for the lagging few CBSE Class 12 subjects are scheduled to be held from July 1 to July 15. But with the number of new cases ascending, the issue arises whether it is advisable to hold exams and will it be possible to maintain social distancing norms while holding the exams.
Officeholders of the CBSE, however, are positive that they will be able to do a decent job even in the existing circumstances of the country.
We are hopeful that all standards set by the government for social distancing will be obeyed. The CBSE is intending to hold them in over 13,000 schools. So, generally, there will be no crowding. We are sure that social distance will be kept. The use of masks and sanitizers will be enabled. Safety is clearly significant, told a senior CBSE spokesperson, also, that there was a chance of there being no more than 12 pupils in a classroom.
With schools are locked for the summer vacation, most principals are engaged in disinfecting the premises on a regular basis, to make them ready for the board exams. They are also pausing for CBSE guidelines on how question papers will be rationed with schools.
We will put off our air conditioning systems and rather open our windows and use fans. Students are likely to encounter discomfort while inscribing their papers in the July scorching heat while wearing masks, told Sangeeta Arora, principal of KR Mangalam School, Greater Kailash II, said. She also notified that principals are worried over what would happen if a student’s temperature was slightly elevated than the acceptable limit on the school guidelines.
School administrators are also anxious about organizing students once they reach the school premises. “When children see their playmates after a long time, they will like to sit with them and talk over the paper. The school will not be able to avoid doing so. We may also need extra manpower for reiterated cleaning,” she explained.
Government affiliated schools are inclined to face more challenges as many are still acting as dry ration measurement centers for the Delhi government. Heads of schools have planned distinct entry gates for the students and those coming to the schools to collect supplies.
Awadhesh Kumar Jha, principal of Sarvodya Co-ed Vidyalaya in Rohini, said administering the board exams will be very difficult. Receiving the question papers to school is also a high challenge. This will heighten the possibilities of contact in the present situations. Students could attempt to hide their symptoms and will appear in the exams because they wouldn’t want to miss them. Teachers are already scared of coming to the premises because allocating answer sheets and collecting them means there will be a lot of physical contacts, he added.
Asked if rather than make it compulsory, they could provide the pupil’s option to occur for exams or be allotted marks according to a set procedure, the CBSE official illustrated above said those judgments could only be taken after a comprehensive conversation. There are options on the loop. However, as directed, we are striding ahead with the exams, he asserted.
The CBSE has clearly mentioned not to conduct exams in foreign schools affiliated to it.
“We have listed bylaws for examinations. And these bylaws also authorize the chairman of the council to take important rulings. We are readying regulations for every facet of the exams. This is a demanding time, but we must keep in mind that CBSE has years of background in holding exams,” another CBSE official told.
Principals have noted that many workers denied to come and sanitize the schools as they can be high-contact regions. While thermal screening criteria will be accessible at exam centers, the students’ condition is likely to be listed elevated than actual body temperature due to the warmth.
Tania Joshi, principal of Indian School, said that additional care will have to be carried while rinsing chairs and tables and measuring the invigilation duties of teachers. We are however scheduling on how to acquire sanitizer, masks, and gloves for the appearing. The weather in July is moist and students may have problem writing while wearing gloves. We have to keep all these situations in mind.
Although, several parents put social media to convey concerns about the safety of their children. A Twitter poll performed by one of the users showed that almost 84% of parents had interests in their children’s safety.
A request has also been cataloged in the Supreme Court arguing that the exams were settling the safety of pupils in threat, but the issue is yet to be heard by the court.
The ministry is often monitoring the problem. It is aware of the questions. Decisions will be taken remembering all elements in mind, an official told. Considerably, the ministry has put the JEE and NEET exams once the CBSE exams are done. A determination on the CBSE exams could have relevance on the whole educational calendar.
At the same time, a council of parents also conveyed interests on the Class 12 exams schemed by the ICSE board.
In an announcement released to the outlets, the parents asked a series of questions: Who will guarantee the protection of our children? One asymptomatic child or inspection individual can contaminate all others in that classroom. The viral load of being in a similar room for four hours is very big. How would children who use public conveyance travel? What transpires if a student is infected just prior to the exams? What if the examination center or the child’s residence is in a red zone? Specifically, for Class 10, why is it so crucial to hold exams?
The ICSE board has also notified that it would hold the continuing exams for classes 10 and 12 in the first few days of July. Struggles to get a response from ICSE did not fructify.
As for CBSE, it would perform 27 exams in the first half of July.
It is rated that the absolute number of students will appear for the Business Studies exam for Class 12. Over 3.5 lakh pupils are anticipated to sit in this exam. Among other subjects, the Hindi exam will see around 3 lakh nominees, Geography approx. one lakh, Home Science around 60,000, and Sociology around 50,000 aspirants.
