SC on CBSE Board Exam 2020: Class 10 exams cancelled, Class 12 papers optional; verdict due at 10.30 am

Supreme Court on CBSE Board Exam 2020 | The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has cancelled the pending Class 10 and 12 examinations, earlier scheduled to be held from 1 July, Central government informed the Supreme Court on Thursday. The government told the court there will be no exams for Class 10. Students of Class 12, however, will have the option to choose to either be evaluated on the basis of past marks, or appear for papers as soon as the situation is conducive to hold exams,  ANI reported. Supreme Court, meanwhile,  has asked Central government and the CBSE to issue fresh notification regarding Class 12 examinations. The hearing is scheduled for today at 10.30 am when the apex court is expected to give its verdict. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing on behalf of the Ministry of Human Resource Development and CBSE, informed the Supreme Court of the board’s decision. [caption id=“attachment_8411651” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] File image of Supreme Court. Reuters[/caption] “Our affidavit filed half an hour back states that taking into account suggestion from States, exam for Class 10 and 12 from July 1 stands cancelled… CBSE has scheme in which marks scored in past 3 exams will be taken in account,”  Bar and Bench quoted Mehta as saying. Mehta, however, clarified that the cancellation is not absolute and overreaching in case of Class 12 students, who need their final marks for admissions to various higher education institutes such as the Delhi University.

“For Class 12, exams will be conducted as soon as situation is conducive. Marks for students who opt for class 12 exams will have that marks as final,” Mehta explained.

However the students who do not wish to appear for these exams will be assessed on the basis of their performance in their past exams. The results, Mehta said, on the basis of assessment of past marks can be expected by 15 July for both Class 10 and Class 12.

The move will also impact scheme of things as far as admission to premium higher education institutions are concerned. The second most popular board in India, the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) and Indian School Certificate (ISC) had also submitted in court that they will follow the precedent set by CBSE. So students waiting for a decision from ICSE and ISC can also expect similar announcements from their boards later.

Meanwhile, the apex court has asked Mehta to reword his affidavit in a way that there is no confusion over its content. The solicitor general has agreed to this and will file a fresh response by this morning, But the crux of the information given out in court today is unlikely to change. More clarification on the marking scheme to be adopted for the cancelled papers are awaited. This article shall be updated to reflect those once the details are in.