West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced the cancellation of Classes 10 and 12 board exams. The evaluation methods for the Higher Secondary (HS), Madhyamik students will be fixed by the two boards after consultation with experts and the Education Department, Ms Banerjee informed, adding that the criteria will be announced within seven days.
Mamta Banerjee in a press conference said the decision to cancel WB board exams have been taken after consultation with stakeholders. The state government on Sunday sought public opinion on the issue via email.
The government has received 34 thousand emails and 79 per cent of them suggested Madhyamik exams should be scrapped and 83 per cent were against HS exams, the chief minister has informed.
The West Bengal government had on June 3 formed an expert panel comprising the head of the secondary board, the chief of state child rights protection panel, a doctor and academics to check the feasibility of conducting WB board exams amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The West Bengal school education department on Sunday sought public opinion on the matter.
The school education department, in a notice issued on Sunday, said, views of the public are being sought on “whether to conduct or not conduct the Madhyamik/Uchha Madhyamik examinations 2021. If yes, suggestions should be made on the mode of conducting the examinations.”
The state government had on June 3 cancelled the press conference that was scheduled for announcing dates for Class 10 and 12 board exams.
Last week, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had declared a possible time period for holding Madhyamik (Class 10), and Higher Secondary (Class 12) exams.
The WBBSE conducts the Madhyamik (10th exams) which was scheduled to be held in the second week of August as announced by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Uchcha Madhyamik (12th exams), conducted by the Council, was slated to be held in the last week of July.
Over 12 lakh students are set to appear for Madhyamik and 8.5 lakh for Higher Secondary examinations this year.
