CBSE board exam 2021: Parents worried, schools ready for practicals exams – Times of India

NAGPUR: The decision of CBSE schools to conduct Class XII board practicals examinations in April has left parents worried owing to a rapid rise in Covid-19 cases. Parents feel their children will be exposed to the virus if they go to school for examinations but schools say if students can appear for JEE Main examinations then they can appear for practicals also.

A parent whose daughter is in Class XII said the practicals should be delayed till May. “We all know the situation in Nagpur right now and our kids have been protected from the exposure to public places so far. If they go to school for the examinations, they will be exposed to a large number of people and places,” she said.

The CBSE, however, has allowed schools to conduct practicals till June. Speaking at a special live webinar organized by TOI recently, CBSE’s controller of examination Sanyam Bhardwaj said that schools can space out their tests according to the situation in their respective cities. “We have given this option to schools so that they do not have to rush with the practicals examinations. They can use this extra time and whenever possible try to get the practicals conducted on-campus itself,” Bhardwaj said while ruling out the exams in online mode.

A school principal said, “We have no option but to get on with the exams now. Students of the same age are appearing for JEE Main exams every month in lakhs. So parents can’t say that the virus will be spread only from practical exams. Recently, the MPSC exam was also held across the state. I think parents must not worry because we will be conducting the exams strictly under the guidelines issued by the government.”

Schools are planning to wrap up the practicals examinations in April itself as they also have to prepare for theory papers from May. For this, they have to seek prior permission separately from Nagpur Municipal Corporation (MNC) and the district collector’s office as there are many schools located outside the city limits.

A handful of schools are pre-empting the permission and informing parents that practicals are likely to be held in the first week of April. While the overall practice has been to allow all national level exams, still a written permission is needed to reopen schools for children.