Goa to cancel class 10 boards amid COVID surge; decision on class 12 exams soon

Sawant said, “Class 10 exams of Goa Board stand cancelled, due to prevailing COVID19 situation in the state. Class 10 students to be promoted to next class based on marks obtained in internal assessment. Decision on Class 12 exams to be taken in the next 2 days.”

The decision has been taken on the recommendation of a committee comprising Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary School Education and education department officials as well as experts in the field, and Class X marks would be allotted based on the internal assessment of examinations held in academic year 2020-21, he said.

“Those failing in one or two subjects can appear for ATKT (Allowed To Keep Terms) examination. Those who want to opt for Science and Diploma streams will have to undergo one-day examination, which will be conducted by the Goa Board. Students will be informed 15 days in advance about this one-day examination,” he said.

He said ‘private students’, will have to undergo a one-day or three-day exam, the dates of which would be announced later. “A decision on Class XII exams will be taken on Tuesday or Wednesday,” Sawant informed.

Earlier in the day, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the over two-hour meeting with Union ministers Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Smriti Irani, Prakash Javadekar regarding Class 12th board exams.

Union Education Minister Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank later said both students’ and teachers’ safety, security, and future are supremely important on holding the Class 12 board exams amid pandemic. He said,” I’m confident we will be able to arrive at an informed, collaborative decision.”

Meanwhile several other states have already taken similar decision amid COVID surge.

Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday said the Delhi government is not in favour of conducting Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class XII exams and they will write to the Centre suggesting the same.

“The Delhi government is not in favour of conducting Class XII exams and we will write to the Centre regarding the same. In today’s meeting with the Centre, I appealed that we cannot put students’ lives at risk by following the tradition of exams,” Sisodia said.

(With inputs from agencies)