– Sukanya Nandy
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) class 10 and 12 board exams are set to be held from May 4 to June 10 this year. The practical exams will be held by May 1, 2021, as announced by education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’. The results are expected to release by July 15, 2021.
In view of the Covid-19 prompted closure of schools, 30 percent of the syllabus has been reduced and the education minister has also announced that the exams will be held offline.
With the countdown having begun for the CBSE board exams, here’s what the students and educators have to say.
“I’m happy with the decision of CBSE to hold the board examinations in the month of May as it gives us ample time to prepare for the exams. I would prefer the exams to be held in offline mode because it gives us the opportunity to interact with peers and teachers. The school has constantly been guiding and counselling us in preparing for the exams, and a face to face interaction with teachers on the morning of the exam is always reassuring for us. I prefer the offline mode furthermore because there would be no fear of glitches on account of poor internet connectivity or login problems, as have been observed during online examinations. Our lifelong experience of taking exams in the pen and paper mode rather than online makes the offline mode more comfortable to me,” says Aarya Tandon, class 12, Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Ghaziabad
Radiant International School, Patna‘s principal Colonel Prem Prakash, SM (Retd) says, “We conducted class 10 and 12 preboard exams in January this year and we saw about 80 percent student attendance, which is quite good. By the time it is May, both the students and our school should be prepared to take the exams offline.”
“We were really delighted with the school’s decision to shift to virtual classes so that our learning would not get hampered due to the ongoing global pandemic. Overall, it has been a fun learning experience for the students all thanks to our hardworking teachers who have put in all their efforts to ensure a seamless interaction during the online lectures. However, we would still prefer to take our examinations at our school or assigned center premises. Over the past years, we have always been assessed through offline tests and 
the overall examination environment also plays a crucial role in ensuring our focus and enhancing our performance. Moreover, being amongst our peers and invigilators makes us feel comfortable and relaxed even in a stressful examination situation. Besides this, we would not have to be anxious about issues faced due to interrupted online connectivity at home. It is very true that our homes are our comfort and safety zones but sometimes even in the best of the situations there are bound to be distractions, which will not be the case in a school examination environment. It enables us to give our best shot and helps in attaining undivided focus and attention to only our test paper right before us,” says Ankita Mandal, class 10, Ryan International School, Kandivali, Mumbai
Muslimah Nimat, a class 12 student of Kensri School & College, Bengaluru, too believes exams held in-person are better since “online exams gives too much scope for cheating. Meanwhile, in the offline mode, the board can examine the students in a proper way.” She is happy with the examinations being postponed as well although she suggests that if the pandemic situation persists at the time of May, the board should consider further postponing it.
Also read:
CBSE reopens portal for registration of class 9, 11 students
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