CBSE set to begin evaluating papers
NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will set rolling the process of evaluation of Class X and Class XII board examination answer sheets on Sunday; the ministry of home affairs has approved a human resource development (HRD) ministry proposal to this effect.
Answer sheets will be moved from 3,000 designated schools to the residences of qualified evaluators who will mark them from their homes. The process is expected to be completed in 50 days.
With nearly 1.8 million students awaiting their Class X results and 1.2 million awaiting their class 12 results, the CBSE has been pushing for government permission to carry out the evaluation process, stuck because of the Covid-19 lockdown.
HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said permission had been granted for evaluation in 3,000 schools. He expressed hope that 15 million answer sheets in 173 subjects would be evaluated soon. “From these 3,000 schools these copies will go the evaluators and evaluation will begin tomorrow. Teachers will evaluate from home and we will be able to complete the process in 50 days,” he said.
According to a government official who requested anonymity, permission has been granted for the evaluation to take place in all areas except containment zones.
The CBSE will now formulate a detailed plan according to which the evaluation will have to be conducted while maintaining social distancing norms. Teachers have traditionally marked the answer sheets in evaluation centres, but this time, keeping in mind the pandemic and lockdown, the work if being done at the homes of evaluators.
On Friday, the HRD ministry had cleared the way for holding the pending CBSE Class X and XII board exams. These will be held from July 1 to July 15, the HRD ministry said.
While exams for 12 subjects of class 12 will be held across the country, the exams for class 10 will be held only in north-east Delhi, where some of the tests could not be held earlier because of communal violence in the area in February. Overall the CBSE would conduct 29 exams.
Given the situation, it is not an easy task and even HRD and CBSE officials admit that the decision will be reviewed in case the situation is not conducive.
Randeep Guleria, the director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), recently said that the Covid-19 pandemic in the country may not have peaked yet.
“According to modelling data and the way our cases are increasing, it is likely that peak can come in June and July. But there are many variables..,” Guleria said.
Government officials said while the hope was that the exams will be conducted, the capacity and preparedness will be reviewed in light of the existing circumstances.
“A lot of work needs to be done regarding norms as to how students will come to exam centres, the seating arrangement etc. CBSE will bring out certain directions from time to time in this regard. School managements will also have to do their part so that social distancing takes place,” said a senior CBSE official who requested anonymity.
The HRD ministry has already announced that the JEE (Main) will be conducted from July 18 to 23 and the National Eligibility and Entrance Test, from July 26.
ANSWER SHEETS TO BE MOVED FROM 3,000 DESIGNATED SCHOOLS TO RESIDENCES OF QUALIFIED EVALUATORS