Tamil Nadu Class 12 Exams Cancelled Due To Covid Second Wave; CM Stalin Urges PM To Cancel NEET

Putting a full stop to all the speculations about whether the board exams will be conducted or not, the Tamil Nadu government on Saturday announced the cancellation of Class 12 board examinations in a view of the high prevalence of Coronavirus in the state.

CM M.K. Stalin With Top Officials (Photo Credit: @mkstalin)

Chennai: Putting a full stop to all the speculations about whether the board exams will be conducted or not, the Tamil Nadu government on Saturday announced the cancellation of Class 12 board examinations in a view of the high prevalence of Coronavirus in the state.

Additionally, Stalin also urged the Prime Minister to cancel all national level entrance tests including National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), and allow Tamil Nadu to fill professional seats including MBBS based on Class 12 marks only.

In his letter, Stalin said, "I wish to draw your immediate attention to an urgent issue concerning the future of Class 12th students in the state. Citing the spread of COVID-19 in the country, the Central Board of Secondary Education on 4-6-2021 had notified that the Class 12th Board examinations would not be held this year. CBSE has also formed a Committee to compile the results of Class 12 students as per well-defined objective criteria," he said.

Showing his concern over the current situation in the state, CM further said, "While it has always been the consistent and considered view of my Government that the Class 12th marks alone should be the basis for higher educational opportunities, we have also decided not to conduct the Class 12th State Board examinations this year, considering the prevailing COVID-19 situation," he added.

"A committee is being constituted to decide on the evaluation and compilation of the marks of Class 12th students. Admissions to professional, arts, and science courses in our state will be made based on these that will be awarded to students. The above decisions have been made keeping in mind the safety of the students and also the concerns expressed by a large section of educationists, teachers, parents, and medical professionals," Stalin said.

Appealing to cancel the national level entrance examinations, Chief Minister said, "Given, these circumstances, I am of the strong view that conducting national level entrance examinations for any professional course would be immensely detrimental to the health and well-being of students. I, therefore, urge you to cancel the conduct of all national level entrance examinations like NEET, as the same reasons adducted for canceling the Class 12th Board Examination are equally applicable to entrance exams. Our state may be allowed to fill all professional seats including M.M.B.S seats, on the basis of Class 12th marks alone, as we have always emphasized. I am sure that you would appreciate the fairness of my request, and will act upon it favorably," he emphasized.