New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Board this morning told the Supreme Court that the Class 10 and Class 12 exams have been cancelled.

The exams that were scheduled to be held from July 1 to July 15 will be conducted as and when the situation is suitable to conduct the exams, the CBSE Board told the Supreme Court. Giving its final word on the cancellation of CBSE Board Exam-2020, the CBSE Board said the scheme has been set up where Class 12 students will be assessed on the basis of last 3 exams. Students will also have an option to opt for exams that are to be conducted later.

A Supreme Court bench led by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar heard the plea seeking cancellation of remaining CBSE exams due to COVID-19. 

The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) Board has also shared that it would broadly follow the decision taken by CBSE in the matter.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for CBSE and HRD Ministry. Advocate Rishi Malhotra for the petitioner shared that Maharashtra, Odisha and Delhi have shared their inability to conduct the pending board examinations.  

A few papers of CBSE 10th, 12th Board Exams-2020 were pending when the Schools and Colleges were closed. Exams from Mar. 19 to Mar. 31 were deferred till April, and then postponed by the HRD Ministry as a nationwide lockdown was announced on Mar. 25. These exams were then deferred and scheduled to be conducted between July 1 and July 15.

CBSE had shared its intent to cancel the exams abroad and to conduct exams for only 29 subjects out of the remaining lot. The Board released the date sheet for the exams in May. Parents, however, quickly opposed the move. Concerns increased when the COVID-19 cases spiralled in the country.

In their plea, the parents said that conducting examinations across over 15,000 centres at this stage would unnecessarily expose children to the risk of contracting COVID. It also asked the Board to allot marks to students for the remaining papers on the basis of their internal assessment and performance in practical and examinations they took in March.