CISCE Class 10, 12 students can opt out of pending exams

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice S S Shinde, was hearing through video conference a plea moved by parent challenging the decision of the CISCE to conduct remaining examinations for class 10 and 12 in July, 2020.

A plea moved by advocate Arvind Raghunath Tiwari, a parent of ICSE student, in view of Covid-19 pandemic sought from the court to direct the authorities to cancel rescheduled exam time table and declare results on the basis of gradation and assessment of past performance in the papers for which exams has been held.

The Maharashtra government, responding to the Court’s query, on June 12 through Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni had said that the Covid-19 situation in the state is of concern and there it is not feasible to hold pending papers of the ICSE exams in the current situation. As per the Board, here are nearly 226 ICSE schools in Maharashtra having over 23000 students who will appear for the exam.

On Monday, responding to the plea, the CISCE through senior counsel Darius Khambatta submitted in a note its decision, which said that it has decided to offer all students with pending class 10 and 12 examinations in some subjects with two options.

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Firstly, students can take pending examinations in July as per timetable issued. The second option given by the CISCE stated that ‘based on students’ performance in internal assessment or pre-board examinations conducted by their own school or results of board examination papers in subjects already taken, in accordance with such methodology may be prescribed by CISCE.

The Board said, “The paramount interest of CISCE is to protect the safety, well-being and academic endeavours of students sitting for the ICSE and ISC examinations.”

The CISCE said that it will communicate these options with all the affiliated schools, which will be required to ascertain options selected by the students and intimate the board before June 22. Thereafter, a student is permitted a change of choice at any time prior to conduct of the exams.

Moreover, CISCE said that in case it is not possible for it to conduct any or all of the remaining exam papers next month, it will declare final results of pending subjects based on an internal assessment or based on results of already conducted board papers as per methodology to be prescribed in due course.

The CISCE clarified, “For the avoidance of doubt, for those subjects where examinations have already been conducted, results in those subjects will be declared based on the student’s performance in such examinations.”

After the court sought to know from the state whether necessary permissions would be given for students opting for physical examinations, AG Kumbhakoni on Monday told the Court that once it is known how many students are opting for it, the decision on the arrangement for logistics can be taken accordingly.

Taking CISCE’s decision on the record, the bench directed the Board to publish its decision in English, Hindi, and Marathi newspapers and said that students can forward suggestions, if any, to the Board and the Court. It posted further hearing on Wednesday.