Following a long wait, students and teachers from CBSE schools in the State finally have some clarity about their pending board exams.
On Friday, the Supreme Court also accepted a proposal put forth by the CBSE that students of classes 10 and 12 will be assessed for the cancelled exams by taking an average of their best performance in the papers they have already taken.
Before this, the Union government and CBSE had informed the Supreme Court that the remaining exams, which were scheduled from July 1 to 15 had been cancelled.
In Tamil Nadu, a majority of the Class 12 students were to take up the Business Studies and Computer Science papers before schools shut down in March.
“Business Studies is a subject that we generally score high marks in, so we are a bit disappointed that it got cancelled,” said V. Sudarsana, a Class 12 student. However, she said that the announcement had also brought in a sense of relief for many who had been waiting since March.
“While the CBSE has chosen to assess us based on our performance in the other board papers, we had initially expected that our marks for the pending exams would be calculated based on the internal assessment of other exams we have written through the year,” she added.
Several students like Manav Doshi, a commerce student from Class 12 said that they had already started preparing and taking up entrance exams for colleges. “While we are upset for having missed out on a high scoring subject, it would have been tough for us to begin preparing for board paper again alongside our entrance exam preparations,” he said.
In Tamil Nadu, Plus 2 students from State board schools had already finished their public exams in March.
In its assessment scheme, the CBSE has said that it would be conducting an optional exam in the subjects which were scheduled to be held from July 1 to July 15, at a later date when conditions were conducive.
“We feel that many students, especially those from the science group, might not have taken up the optional exam since they are already done with their Physics, Chemistry and Maths papers which is considered for engineering admissions,” said C. Satish, director, Paavai Group of Schools.
Mr.Satish said that while the method of assessment put forth by the CBSE was the best option available, he recommended that the board analyse the results in the papers that the students have already taken up and ensure that there is some moderation exercised. “Students took up the exams at a time when concerns about COVID-19 was growing and this would have caused a lot of worry and stress. This can be considered by the board,” he added.
