Page 16 - EW May 2020 for Flipbuilder

Education News

DELHI exams for class X ICSE and eight for
Constructive response class XII ISC students are pending.

In a circular dated May 1 to affiliated
schools, the CISCE board says that
eight days preparation time will be
given to students after the date is an-
nounced post lockdown 3.0.
Inevitably, the delay of CBSE,
CISCE (and 29 state exam boards)
exams has disrupted the calendar
of 39,931 undergrad colleges which
admit students on the basis of these
scores with toppers having the op-
tion of admission into top-ranked
colleges of their choice.
After the CBSE, CISCE and state
boards are finally held, their answer
papers have to be evaluated, scored
and school-leaving certificates is-
sued, a process normally spread over
three months. Therefore, antici-
Delhi class X students: academic calendar disruption pating delay in completion of this
process, UGC has recommended
HE RAPID COUNTRYWIDE spread of Against this backdrop of a com- postponing start of the new academic
the Coronavirus pandemic and prehensive disruption of the aca- year to September 1, 2020 (cf. July
Tsubsequent national lockdown demic calendar in school and higher 2020).
of all education institutions from education, governments, exam In a set of guidelines issued on
Kg-Ph D has disrupted the academic boards and regulators have been April 29, UGC says: “Admissions
year 2019-20 which was drawing burning the midnight oil to manage to the undergraduate and postgrad
to a close for 1.5 million schools. this unprecedented situation to en- programmes for the session 2020-
Final assessments as well as various sure that the current academic year 21 may (i.e, should) be completed
entrance examinations conducted by is saved and the next year gets off to by 31.08.2020. If necessity arises,
the NTA (National Testing Agency) a smooth start. provisional admissions may also
have been postponed. Simultaneous- The Central Board of Second- be made and relevant documents
ly, the second semester of universi- ary Education (CBSE), the largest of qualifying examination may be
ties was in full swing with more than pan-India exams board with 22,145 accepted up to 30.09.2020. The
60 percent of academic transaction affiliated schools countrywide, had academic session 2020-21 may
completed and apprenticeships and already completed two-thirds of its commence from 01.8.2020 for old
project assignments having com- school-leaving class X and XII exams students and from 01.09.2020 for
menced. when the Central government order fresh students.”
Therefore, the out-of-the-blue to shut down all education institu- In its ‘UGC Guidelines on Ex-
national lockdown started in mid- tions with immediate effect was is- aminations and Academic Calendar
March has resulted in delays in sued on March 18. On April 1, CBSE for Universities’, UGC also provides
completion of school board examina- issued a circular to all affiliated recommendations for assessment
tions, evaluation and certification. schools to promote classes I-VIII and promotion of college and univer-
The postponement of the class XII students to the next higher class and sity students. The guidelines suggest
school-leaving exams in particular, promote class IX and XI students on that 50 percent of marks should
is delaying admission processes of the basis of their term exam scores. be allotted on the basis of internal
colleges and other higher educa- The remaining 29 board exams — 11 evaluation and the remaining 50
tion institutions (HEIs) across the for class XII students and 18 for class percent on the basis of performance
country even as the latter are in the X students — will be held during the in the previous semester. In the case
thick of switching from conventional period July 1-15. of first year students whose previous
classroom lectures pedagogies to In the case of the Delhi-based semester results are not available,
digital online learning systems and Council for Indian School Certificate they should be promoted or detained
processes. Examinations (CISCE), six subject on the basis of internal evaluation.

16 EDUCATIONWORLD MAY 2020