CBSE Class 12 Boards, JEE Main, NEET: 3 Options Govt May Explore In Today's High-Level Meet

Union Ministers including Rajnath Singh, Smriti Irani, Prakash Javadekar along with chairpersons of state examination boards and stakeholders will be present in the meeting. 

(File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: Amid the growing demand by students of CBSE and ICSE to cancel the Class 12 board examinations 2021, Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal will chair a high-level virtual meeting with Education Ministers of all states and Union Territories to discuss the proposal today (May 23).

As per reports, other Union Ministers including Rajnath Singh, Smriti Irani, Prakash Javadekar along with chairpersons of state examination boards and stakeholders will be present in the meeting. 

The meeting will also decide the conduct of entrance examinations for professional courses such as NEET 2021 and JEE Main 2021.

"Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education and CBSE are exploring options regarding the conduct of examinations, keeping in mind the safety and security of the students and the teachers. The Department of Higher Education is also deliberating upon the finalisation of the dates of examinations for institutions of higher learning," Pokhriyal said in a letter written to all states/UTs.

It is being said that the high-level virtual meeting will be held tomorrow, May 23, at 11:30 am.

Here's the list of all possible options that could be explored in the meeting tomorrow:

a) conducting pen and paper mode exams for only major subjects

b) conducting all exams in two phases planned as per the COVID-19 situation in different states or districts

c) cancelling the exams and announcing results as per an alternative assessment scheme

A senior board official, however told news agency PTI that nothing has been finalised yet. A final call will only be taken by the Education Ministry after considering suggestions from all stakeholders.

On the backdrop of second wave of Coronavirus in the country, a large section of students and parents have been demanding that the exams be cancelled. School principals, however, have varied views on the possible options that can be explored.

All state education boards, CBSE and ICSE have postponed class 12 examinations this year. Even the National Testing Agency (NTA) and other national examinations have been postponed due to Covid-19 outbreak.

Last month, CBSE had announced the cancellation of Class 10 exams and postponed Class 12 exams in view of the surge in Coronavirus cases across the country. The decision regarding the same was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.