A couple of days after announcing direct promotion to the next grade for students of Classes I to IX and even first-year junior college (FYJC) without any examinations, state education minister Varsha Gaikwad said an alternative for assessing students of Classes X and XII under state board was being sought.

In a tweet posted on Friday evening, Gaikwad said, “In light of recent upsurge of Covid-19 cases, I’ve been holding consultations with student representatives, elected representatives from all parties, tech giants, parents, teachers & other sector experts regarding alternatives for assessment of HSC and SSC board students. I would like to assure all students and their parents that your safety is our foremost priority. We are reviewing the situation and a decision in this regard will be taken in the next few days.”

The announcement was welcomed by students who urged the minister to postpone or cancel offline examinations. Many students reacted by stating that they had not written a single semester examination and were ill-prepared for board examinations. They requested for more time and said there was barely a gap between the exam papers, as compared to the CBSE timetable. Some students also demanded an assignment-based or online solution.

On Friday afternoon, the official circular for the cancellation of final examinations of Classes IX and XI and automatic promotion of students to the next class, in the wake of a rise in Covid-19 cases in the state, was issued while the announcement was made by Gaikwad on April 7.

Maharashtra has the highest number of Covid-19 cases among all states, making offline exams difficult. Before this announcement, the state board had announced the cancellation of final exams for Classes I to VIII and direct promotion to the next class.

Source: The Indian Express