CBSE sets ball rolling with exams schedule

EXAMS WOULD BEGIN ON MAY 4 FOR BOTH CLASS 10 AND 12 STUDENTS AND WILL END ON JUNE 7 AND JUNE 11 RESPECTIVELY

NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announced the schedule for final examinations of classes 10 and 12 on Tuesday, three months before the commencement of theory papers on May 4, taking a crucial step towards normalcy that could eventually have a key imprint on the final contours of this year’s academic session in the shadow of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

Officials at the Council for the Indian School Certificate (CISC), another national-level board, said they too were working on board exam schedules. While some state boards have already announced the dates, others are in the process of finalising the modalities. The commencement of board exams, especially of CBSE — the biggest national board — would have a bearing on college admission dates and, in turn, the entire academic session that was upended by the pandemic last year, experts said.according to the CBSE date sheet, Class 10 exams will end on June 7 and Class 12 exams on June 11.

The board said authorities will have to follow guidelines against Covid-19 such as wearing masks, following physical distancing and using sanitizers. While most of the Class 12 exams will be held in the morning shift(10.30am-12.30/1.30pm), some of them have been slated for the afternoon shift (2.30pm-4.30/5.30pm) with an aim to reduce the total exam days. To be sure, this does not mean that Class 12 students will have to write two papers a day. The four days (May 6, 15, 21, and 27) when they will write their papers in the afternoon, only Class 10 exams will be held in the morning.

Meanwhile, officials at the Delhi University (DU) said the college admission process may again get delayed.

“According to the CBSE schedule (this year), the results are likely to be announced by July 15. However, our academic session normally begins in midjuly. It means the admission process will again get delayed this year,” said Suman Kumar, a member of the DU admission panel last year.