CBSE Class 12 board exam; centre convenes meeting of states, decision likely on tomorrow

​​​​​​NEW DELHI: While lakhs of students are waiting for a final decision on CBSE Class 12 exam 2021, the Centre on Friday set up a Group of Ministers (GoM) to seek states' views and recommend whether it is feasible to conduct the exams amid the prevailing gloomy situation due to Covid. The GoM includes Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar and Union Education Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.

The GoM is expected to decide whether the CBSE Class 12 exam should be conducted this year. It will send recommendations to the government after seeking the views of all states and UTs.

Rajnath Singh, the seniormost minister in the government after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will preside over a meeting on Sunday at 11 am via video conferencing. Besides Javadekar and Nishank, the meeting will be attended by Union Minister Smriti Irani, Education Ministers and Education Secys of all the states and UTs.

The GoM will only seek their views on the matter and also on conducting other professional exams. It is unlikely that the GoM will make an announcement on Sunday. The final decision on CBSE Class 12 exams and other board exams will probably be announced on May 29-30.

The CBSE Board Exams for Class 10 and Class 12 students were slated to commence from May 4. But the second wave of Covid-19 forced the government to cancel the Class 10 Board exams. The government, however, postponed Class 12 Board exams.