CBSE Class 10, 12 boards 2020: Parents fear children may be exposed to COVID-19 during exams, approach Supreme Court for respite

A petition was filed in the Supreme Court on Tuesday demanding to put on hold the pending CBSE Class 10th and Class 12th board examinations 2020, scheduled to be held from 1 to 15 July . According to a report by Times of India, a group of four parents also asked the apex court to direct the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to give marks to students on the basis of internal assessment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the rising number of coronavirus cases across the country, the parents expressed concern and said that the students who will be taking the exam would be exposed to the virus. They pleaded the court to intervene and put a stay on the CBSE’s decision. The petition also mentioned that since most number of the infected population could be asymptotic, students could become carriers of the virus themselves, and thereby infect others, The Quint reported. Pending papers of CBSE Class 10 and Class 12 board examination are scheduled to be conducted at 15,000 centers across the country. A report by LiveLaw stated that parents cited data by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) which says that COVID-19 cases would peak in July. The petition was filed by Delhi residents Col (Retd) Amit Bathla, Poonam Singla, Charu Singh and Sunitha through advocate Rishi Malhotra. It says that CBSE had earlier cancelled the examinations of Class 10 and 12 for its 250-odd schools which are situated abroad and has adopted criteria in awarding marks on the basis of either practical exams conducted or internal assessment marks. It further mentions, “It is highly regretful that the respondents herein have no genuine concern about putting the lives at peril of all the students pan India and have no explanation whatsoever in insisting upon holding the said examination in India.” Malhotra also said that various educational institutes including Delhi University, IITs and various state Boards have cancelled the exam to protect the students from being exposed to the deadly virus and CBSE can also do the same.