The Maharashtra School Education Department has sought the approval from the State’s disaster management authority to cancel the board exams of standard XII.
“We informed the State Cabinet the decision of the Central government and subsequent action taken by other States as well. We are moving our file to the disaster management authority for approval and soon a decision will be taken,” said School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad after the Cabinet meeting.
Asked whether the government’s proposal is to cancel the exam, Ms. Gaikwad said their position was always clear. “We have kept the health and safety of students as our priority. We had informed the same to the central committee and we are following this in the State as well. These are extraordinary times and we will have to extraordinary measures too.” She said the decision would be taken at the earliest.
“We are discussing various options, including the cancellation of examination. But we have yet not received final approval and that will be announced in a day or two,” said an official from the School Education Department, privy to the developments. Once the authority clears the proposal, the department would announce the assessment method for students.
Maharashtra was in favour of cancelling the CBSE standard XII examinations. “In view of the status of the pandemic, projections that children are vulnerable to newer strains and the anxiety among them, the government had demanded that a ‘non-examination route’ be considered for the students,” Ms. Gaikwad had tweeted after the announcement on the CBSE exams.
Uniform assessment model
“We’d also stressed on a ‘uniform assessment model’. I welcome the Centre’s decision to cancel the CBSE exams. There is no doubt that Std. XII exams are an important milestone in a student’s life, but the health and mental well-being of our children should be prioritised,” she tweeted.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which is one of the constituents of the tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, said a final decision will be taken only after a deep study. “The Prime Minister has taken a call on the CBSE examinations. An announcement has been made and now it is important to study the options available. Those who clear standard 12 exams go on for engineering and medical courses. Their future cannot be mishandled. Therefore, the State government will study the issue and take a final decision,” said party Minister Nawab Malik.
