SC declines to offer a hybrid mode option for board exams in class 10th & 12th

On Thursday, the Supreme Court declined to order the CBSE and the CISCE to offer the option of holding board exams in hybrid mode rather than exclusively offline mode. The Supreme Court stated that it would be inappropriate to interfere with the process at this time.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the CBSE, told a bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and C T Ravikumar that all safeguards had been taken to conduct the board exams in offline mode, and that the number of test centres had been increased from 6,500 to 15,000.

In the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, the top court was hearing a petition from six students seeking a new circular from CISCE and CBSE to conduct the upcoming class 10 and 12 board exams in the hybrid mode rather than the offline mode solely.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) began term one board exams on November 16, while the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) will begin semester one board exams on November 22.

The court expressed its “hopes and belief” that authorities will take all necessary safeguards and procedures to guarantee that no one is infected with the virus during the examination.

The petitioners’ senior advocate, Sanjay Hegde, told the court that this is not an adversarial case and that all they want is for students to have the option of taking board exams in hybrid mode.

According to scientists, a virus could spread at a house of worship, Hegde stated.

According to Mehta, around 34 lakh kids will be taking board examinations in classes 10 and 12.

“The exams (of CBSE) have already started on November 16,” Mehta said, adding that the authorities have taken care of the concern raised about possibility of spread of the virus.

“Let us be very practical about it. The examinations have already started. How can it be made online now,” the bench asked Hegde.

According to the senior advocate, COVID-19 is a developing issue, and students should be offered the choice of taking board exams in hybrid mode.

“It is too late now. It cannot be rescheduled at this stage. Examinations have started,” the bench observed.

The six students argued that the boards’ overall practise of conducting term one or semester one tests only in offline mode is “patently unfair.”

According to the appeal, which was submitted by counsel Sumanth Nookala, the board exams should be held in a hybrid mode, with the option of choosing between offline and online exams.

“Consent assumes significance as exams directly relate to the mental health of the petitioners requiring a conducive and voluntary atmosphere to ensure a fair assessment. It is common knowledge that the third wave of COVID pandemic is predicted,” it had said.

According to the petition, the suggested existing system of offline assessment is “fraught with faulty design and a lack of mental application,” which will further disadvantage students.

“Even if the respondents (boards and others) wanted to conduct the examinations on the said dates, it had sufficient time and resources to plan it carefully and consider the concerns raised in the present petition,” it had said.