Madhyamik & HS exams cancelled, evaluation method to be declared within 7 days

Kolkata: With a majority of public opinion going against the holding of examinations amidst the pandemic, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced that the Madhyamik (Class X) and Higher Secondary (Class XII) exams in Bengal stand cancelled.

Banerjee maintained that the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education and the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education in consultation with the state Education department will finalise the evaluation method within the next seven days.

"After we sought public opinion on the matter on Sunday afternoon, we received 34,000 emails from students, guardians and the common people till 2 pm today (Monday). 79 per cent of the opinions were against holding the Madhyamik examination while 83 per cent were against conducting the HS. The expert committee that we had constituted for the same has also suggested against the holding of the examinations. Considering the Covid situation and the fact that a number of schools have been turned into safe homes for COVID-19 patients both the examinations stand cancelled," Banerjee said.

The Chief Minister made it clear that the state has given utmost importance to public opinion before arriving at a conclusion. "Good students who go for competitive examinations or for higher studies rely heavily on marks of these two examinations for their future. The evaluation pattern needs to be such that they are not inconvenienced by any means in pursuing careers of their choice," she added. The expert committee has already come up with suggestions related to evaluation. In case of higher secondary home assignments through email or WhatsApp have been suggested while in case of Madhyamik 70 per cent weightage on a student's performance in Class IX examinations and 30 per cent on the basis of class performance in the 10th standard has been suggested. On the other hand, there have been suggestions of 70 per cent weightage on Class X studies and 30 per cent on Class IX examinations.

Banerjee advised the Board and the Council to delve deep into the suggestions of the expert committee and public opinion and also take the CBSE board's evaluation process into account before finalising the assessment pattern.

She cautioned about the timing of the evaluation so that it is done more or less at the same time as that of CBSE and ICSE Boards. "It needs to be ensured that students of Bengal board are not disadvantaged by any means in pursuit of their higher studies," she maintained.

Banerjee thanked people for sending valuable opinions and suggestions in this matter.

"Thank you very much for sending us your valuable opinions and suggestions. GoWB thus arrives at the decision of cancelling Madhyamik/Uchhamadhyamik examinations for 2021.

"We will work out the best possible way to secure the future of our children," Banerjee tweeted.

The CBSE and the ICSE Board have already cancelled the Class X and XII board examinations and a number of states have also taken the same path.