13,500 new Covid cases in Delhi; Kejriwal requests Centre to cancel CBSE exams

New Delhi: As Delhi went on to report a record surge in new Covid-19 cases for the third consecutive day, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday implored the Centre to consider cancelling the CBSE exams scheduled for this year, saying the "safety and security of children is very important to us".

The Capital on Tuesday reported 13,468 new cases and 81 more deaths from the virus as the Chief Minister appealed to everyone below 45 to not go outside their homes unless absolutely necessary.

"In the upcoming CBSE examinations, six lakh students will appear and one lakh teachers will be involved in the examination process," Kejriwal said, adding that these examination centres have the full potential of becoming Covid hotspots.

"Given the safety and security of students, it is my humble appeal to the Centre that CBSE examinations be cancelled," he said, suggesting alternative methods of assessment. "We can either take online exams or assess students on an internal assessment pattern and declare results keeping the tense situation in mind," he said.

Many other countries that are facing tough circumstances, owing to the second wave of the virus, have cancelled exams, the Chief Minister said and added that many other states had also cancelled state board examinations.

"The present wave of Corona is quite contagious and data shows that the youth and children are getting affected more than ever, contrary to popular opinion about Corona. In data pertaining to the last 10-15 days, 65 per cent of the patients from the Corona cases that have been registered are less than 45 years of age," he said.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Manish Sisodia also appealed for the board exams to be cancelled.

"It is time that board exams be cancelled in view of increasing cases of Coronavirus across the country. When the whole year of teaching-learning did not happen the old way, then why we are adamant about conducting the exams the old way?

"If exams will not be cancelled then examination centres will turn into super spreaders," he said in a tweet.

Furthermore, amid cries from all quarters to cancel the CBSE exams, the Delhi Commission for the Protection of Child Rights has written to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), also urging them to either cancel the board examinations or postpone them and look for alternative assessment methods.

"I write this letter in my capacity as the head of the authority meant for protecting and preserving the rights of children. During the times of pandemic, especially given it is at its peak, there is nothing more important than securing the right to health of every child," DCPCR chairperson Anurag Kundu said.