Delhi schools shut but CBSE board exams as per schedule

The Central Board of Secondary Education on Saturday said that the Term 1 board exams for Classes 10 and 12, slated to begin from Tuesday, will be held according to the schedule even as the Delhi government announced suspension of in-person classes for a week from Monday in view of the hazardous levels of air pollution in the national capital.

The first of a two-part system of board examinations this year will be held in-person, starting Tuesday. There are over 2,100 CBSE-affiliated schools in Delhi. Sanyam Bhardwaj, controller of examinations of CBSE, said, “The closure directive is for other classes and not board exams. Board exams for classes 10 and 12 will take place as scheduled. There is no change.”

Schools were shut in March last year when a nationwide lockdown was imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19). While in-person classes for students in grades 9-12 restarted in September, schools reopened for physical classes for students in all grades on November 1.

School administrators said they will comply with the government’s order but raised concerns about the adverse impact on the learning gap that school closure might cause. “If the government has directed schools to suspend physical classes, we will have to comply with the orders. We are yet to receive the written order but have informed parents. Switching back to online classes will not be very difficult since online classes are already taking place in a hybrid manner,” said Sudha Acharya, the chairperson of the National Progressive Schools’ Conference which has over 120 top Delhi schools as its members

She said that the need of the hour was to find sustainable solutions since the closure of schools were not conducive. “Closure of schools over pollution is now becoming an annual affair. This is not sustainable. One cannot keep schools closed for three months starting from November. The impact of the learning gap created through school closures will heavily impact children in the long run. We must take steps to counter pollution,” she said.

Tania Joshi, principal of The Indian School, said the school informed the parents, but was waiting for a written directive and clarity on board exams scheduled for next week. “We have a board exam on November 19. Now, we are waiting for instructions and clarity on how the exam will be conducted. Teachers will have to be in school for the mock exam as well. We will have to work out the logistics based on what the board tells us,” said Joshi.

She said the school will have to rework its schedule in view of the closure of in-person classes. The school had planned children’s day celebrations on Monday which will now take place online. “There is a little disappointment among students now. There is uncertainty over the board practical exams as well that we had planned for next week. The only silver lining is that teaching will not be affected since we are used to online classes due to covid,” said Joshi.

Jyoti Arora, principal of Mount Abu Public School in Rohini, said that the school will revert to its old timeline based on online classes once written orders from the department of education are issued. Arora said that most schools were in the process of conducting board practicals and will need to tweak the exam schedule once written orders are issued.