Students of classes 9 and 11, who failed in the exams this year, will get a one-time opportunity to appear in school-based tests and improve their performance in view of the COVID-19 situation, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced.
The board had last month announced promoting all students up to class 8, irrespective of their performance in the exams.
"In view of requests from parents and students, as a one-time measure in an extraordinary situation, the CBSE has decided that all failed students of classes 9 and 11 will be given an opportunity to appear in a school-based test again. The opportunity will be extended to students irrespective of whether their exams have been completed and results announced or have not been completed. The facility will be extended irrespective of the number of subjects and attempts," CBSE Exam Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj said.
The board has clarified that the one-time opportunity is being extended only in the current year in view of the unprecedented conditions of COVID-19 and the benefit will not be extended in the future.
"Schools, by providing remediation to such students, can conduct online, offline or innovative tests and may decide on promotion on the basis of the test. The test can be taken in all subjects in which the students have failed. Before holding the test, the schools will give sufficient time to the students to prepare," Bhardwaj said.
The board reiterated that this exemption is to be extended to all students, even if they were given the opportunity prior to the notification.
"This is an unprecedented situation. Children are confined at home. Their schools are closed. They are experiencing mental stress and anxiety. Parents are worried about salaries and the health of the family. In this difficult time, children who have not been able to clear school examinations will be even more upset.
"In such a difficult time, all of us will have to make joint efforts to relieve students from stress and help them mitigate their anxiety," Bhardwaj said.
Universities and schools across the country have been closed since March 16, when the Centre announced a countrywide classroom shutdown as one of the measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.
Later, a nationwide lockdown was imposed from March 25, which was extended till May 17.
The CBSE has announced that the pending board exams for classes 10 and 12 will be conducted in 29 crucial subjects from July 1 to 15.
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