We all are well fraternized with the fact that how unfavorable the contemporary situation is. The COVID-19 pandemic is the major health disaster today and a supreme challenge to the entire globe. It is because of all these chaos, students are having constant fear of not being able to graduate in time, an impossibility in taking the certificates, or the virus preventing them from finishing their exams due to network malfunction.
However, the Central Board Secondary Education took a initial decision to put off CBSE 12th and 10th standard examinations which consequently brought much-needed relief to anxious students caught on the crest of the second COVID-19 wave. Nonetheless, taking the view of central education into consideration the authorities of the boards of certain states has decided to commence examinations despite being aware of how unpleasant the present situation is.
In Assam, the state Education Minister, Dr Ranoj Pegu had a crucial meeting with all stakeholders including students unions and teachers to take a call on conducting Class 10 and 12 State Board Exams 2021. Several reasons for the cancellation of the state board exams have been brought to light by the students keeping in view the current COVID-19 pandemic situation in the state. Some even asked SEBA and AHSEC to consider alternative assessment methods as a one-time measure in the current situation. Dr. Ranoj Pegu, Assam Education Minister on June 7, 2021 implied the ongoing pandemic to be the reason for the further delaying of the examination and suggests the students to continue their study.
On June 8, after chairing a high-level meeting with various stakeholders at the Assam secretariat, it was decided to skip the conventional mode of examination due to the pandemic situation. Ranoj Pegu stated, “If we need to complete the examination process by September 5 and wait till the end of July, the window period for conducting the exams is between August 1 to August 15. I can only give a clear indication that the exams will be held during this period.” He also concluded that the Government of India has insisted on completing the entire exam process by September 5 to prevent any academic loss of students. Hereafter, he concluded that an official declaration will come up within the next 10 days and Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s opinion is also going to be crucial before the final announcement is made.
There’s no doubt that the government along with the higher authorities of the respective institutions are totally on top of the steps obligatory to ensure that students with identified learning support requirements are receiving extra time on timed exams. We hope that they will take all required measures to ensure the betterment of the youth and their future.
Visuals by: Rahul Haloi
Article by Swagata Borah, The North-Eastern Chronicle
