CBSE board exams can be conducted in Maharashtra, say central officials after meeting

Maharashtra state education department had written to the Central Board of Secondary Examination (CBSE) regarding the cancellation or rescheduling of exams of the 10th and 12th classes. This is because Maharashtra is the worst-hit state due to the coronavirus crises in the country with 85, 975 and counting confirmed cases and over 43,000 active cases. However, the Central Board of Secondary Education has deferred to the statement and urged the state to conduct the exams following all the necessary social distancing norms as well as the sanitization guidelines.

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Central Board urges state to permit the conducting of exams in the state

The letter sent by Maharashtra state education department was received by the centre. The officials from the respective boards met on Saturday through a video conference and discussed the details. During the meeting, the centre urged Maharashtra state education department to re-consider and permit the conducting of board exams in the state.

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Earlier dates and newer dates that do not suit the Maharashtra state's situation 

The discussion over the re-consideration came after new exam dates were announced for July. However, the grim situation in Maharashtra state does not allow the exams to be conducted due to its associated threat of exposing kids to the virus while writing in a pen and paper format of the exams. Previously, the CBSE boards announced that the exams will be taking place in the month of July. CBSE students will have to appear for the nationwide exams between July 1 to July 15.

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The central board believes exams can be conducted

A Central Board of Secondary Examination official revealed that apart from Nagpur, Mumbai, Thane, other districts have less than 20 students approximately per centre. In the above-mentioned districts too, there are 50 or fewer students as per the official, thus social distancing and sanitization process can be monitored in the centres. The exams are also not at once, which can make the examination centres follow the Ministry of Home Affairs’ guidelines. The officials from the Maharashtra state education department said they will evaluate the process and act according to the safest interests of students in question. A final statement is yet to be received from the state for conducting the CBSE exams.

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