CBSE, CISCE Students Move Supreme Court, Seek Online Option for Board Exams 2022

A group of six students have moved the Supreme Court seeking an option of taking the upcoming board exams 2022 in hybrid mode. Currently, both national boards – CBSE and CISCE have decided to hold term 1 board exams in offline mode. While the CISCE had earlier given the option to students to take term 1 board exams in either offline or online mode, it later took a u-turn and said it would hold exams in offline mode only.

Now, a writ petition has been filed which seeks urgent directions from the apex court for both CBSE and CISCE on holding class 10 and 12 board exams in both online and online modes. Students demand that since there has been a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases again in the country, there should be an option of appearing for exams in online mode. The petition has been filed by Advocate Sumanth Nookala. This year both boards will hold class 10 and 12 exams twice. Both board exams will begin in November.

The plea, filed by advocate Sumanth Nookala, said the ensuing exams be conducted in hybrid mode with an option to choose between offline and online examination. Consent assumes significance as exams directly relate to the mental health of the petitioners requiring a conducive and voluntary atmosphere to ensure a fair assessment. It is common knowledge that the third wave of COVID pandemic is predicted, the plea said. It claimed that the proposed current system of offline examination is fraught with bad planning and lack of application of mind which will further adversely prejudice the students. Even if the respondents (boards and others) wanted to conduct the examinations on the said dates, it had sufficient time and resources to plan it carefully and consider the concerns raised in the present petition, it said.

Fearing the exams could be a “super spreader” event, students claim that exposure through offline exams could increase the risk of COVID-19 infections. Further students appearing for board exams are under 18 years of age and hence could not be vaccinated. Both CBSE and CISCE have already informed that they will hold exams amid the COVID-19 safety protocol.

The assurances do not seem to be enough for stakeholders of students, activists, and parents have been raising their concerns on social media platforms to demand the term 1 exam be conducted online or at least they be given the option of online and offline. They have taken to Twitter with the hashtags #MakeTerm1Online and #MakeTerm1Hybrid to put forth their demands.

The CBSE board exams 2022 are set to begin from November 30 for class 10 students and from December 1 for class 12 students.

This year both ISC and ICSE board exams will be held in two terms. Students will get their respective schools as exam centres. The final result will be formed based on term 1, term 2 exams as well as the internal assessment.

A section of students claim that if the exams are held offline it would put their lives at risk and pointed that after taking classes in online mode, it would be “ludicrous” to hold exams in the offline mode. Lakhs of students attend the CBSE board exams every year and the students fear that this might lead to another Covid-19 wave.

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