New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Wednesday said the 2021 board exams will be conducted in “written mode” (pen and paper) and not online, amid much speculation.
The CBSE also said no final decision regarding the dates and other details has been taken so far, but that it is in consultation with various stakeholders.
“No final decision has been taken regarding the dates for conduct of board exams, and consultations with stakeholders are still in process. The exams, as and when they are conducted, will be in written mode and not in an online mode. The exams will be conducted following all Covid-19 protocols,” the CBSE said in a statement released Wednesday.
As reported by ThePrint earlier, CBSE and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), the two boards that come under the Ministry of Education, have not yet decided the dates for board exam in 2021 and are holding consultations with other boards and officials in the education ministry to decide the same.
There was, however, some confusion among students on the mode of the exams — whether they’ll be held online or offline. Students and parents were raising questions about this on various online forums.
Alternatives to practical exams
The CBSE has also said it will look for alternatives to practical exams, as schools are currently closed and students do not have access to laboratories.
“In case a student is not able to do practicals in classes before the exams, alternative to practical exams will have to be explored,” the CBSE statement added.
Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ is scheduled to interact with students via Twitter on 10 December. During this live interaction, he is expected to answer exam-related queries.
Dear all, 2020 has been a year of a great many changes like adjusting to #onlineeducation, adapting to #newnormal.
Happy to share that I am going live on Dec 10 to talk about upcoming competitive/board exams with you.
Drop your concerns below using #EducationMinisterGoesLive. pic.twitter.com/E9bigQQRaL— Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (@DrRPNishank) December 2, 2020
Ministry officials also said an announcement regarding the exam date and other details is likely to be made during or after the interaction.
Also read: 70% KV & CBSE students satisfied with e-learning, govt to now focus on bridging digital gap