CBSE Exams: Decision to Conduct Offline Exams When Classes Were Conducted Online Unfair, Say Students

CBSE exams should be conducted online since most of the classes were conducted online throughout the year, say students

CBSE exams are all set to be held in the upcoming months for students from across the country. Considering the fact that the Third Wave is significantly mild when compared to the second wave, and the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is only resulting in subdued symptoms, several schools are holding CBSE exams offline in the months of February and March. A section of students, however, are unhappy with this decision. 

Online Classes are not Sufficient to Give CBSE Exams Offline

“We have been taking classes online from the past two years. Schools got reopened very briefly, but were closed almost immediately due to Omicron. How do you expect us to attend offline exams? Please conduct all CBSE exams online,” said Tejas a class 9 student to Dataquest.

Several students have also claimed that the concepts were not clearly taught to them due to the constraints that online classes present. “I am a student of class 11 of CBSE board and we hope for exams to be held in the online mode. The online classes are not  beneficial and helpful enough for us to appear for offline exams. So, the exam should be held in online mode,” says Priyangshu Malakar who echoes the thoughts of several other students.

COVID-19 Threat Still Looms Large

While Omicron may be mild, Coronavirus is still mutating and large gatherings may result in a dangerous variant say some students. “Can authorities guarantee that we will be safe? Because even doubly vaccinated individuals are getting infected. Moreover, nobody knows what the long term effects of getting infected with COVID-19 can be. We request you that CBSE exams be conducted online,” said a student on the condition of anonymity to Dataquest. 

Several students have also been citing poor mental health of students due to the pandemic as a reason they should not be pressurised further. “We have been sitting at home from two months. Several have also lost loved ones over the past two years. We must not be pressurised further to appear for offline exams. We want to give exams online,” said another student. While no decision has been taken yet on conducting examinations, children above the age of 15 have been given permission to get vaccinated. Also, several authorities are hinting at reopening schools for children across the country as the number of COVID-19 cases in the country are steadily declining.