CBSE class 10 exam cancelled-Impact on Students Future

Thought India is currently dealing with the second Covid – 19 wave and the impact of a double mutant virus, students of CBSE Class X and Class XII have much more tensions not to mention the plight of most of their parents who have high aspirations for their children.

There are both short-term and long-term impact of this decision and as in all cases, there is no other way than to accept the CBSE Board’s decision with a pinch of salt.

Added to these vows is the fact that both Class XII and Class X students may potentially lose the opportunity to gain admissions and thus potentially lose an entire academic year.

At a time when each state is taking a different approach to fighting the pandemic and the second wave of infections due to mutant virus, students and parents across India may not relate to the Board’s decision. A general review of domestic travel guidelines in India will show how different States have their own unique system of dos & don’ts from travelers during this covid times. Parents are already questioning why such a decision was required when the Kumbh Mela was allowed. Hence the decision may not go well with majority of students and parents across India especially in States that do not have many cases of Covid and life is almost back to normalcy.

The board has informed that they have been getting lot of requests from parents and students via linkedin and twitter with #cancelboardexams and such requests has prompted the board to take this decision. However, popular view of most parents and students is ideally to get over with the exams as soon as possible. Also the fact that the CBSE exams are to be conducted across India and is not specifically impacted with the rise of cases in a single state. Again, there is no way to ascertain if the messages sent in twitter and linkedin were genuinely sent by affected students and parents.

The short term impact hence is for Class XII students whose ordeal is far from over and they have to continue preparing for their exams even beyond May 2021. The delay in completion of exams will also impact their admissions for further studies in local universities where they are required to take admissions. It is also important to note that many state university entrance exams will also have to be adjusted and CBSE Students mostly do not have much voice when it comes to admissions to local universities.

Parents now have to scramble to find out about the impacts and steps to be taken due to this postponement. Students will equally have issues in case there are any clashes with other entrance exams which they prefer to give.

The second short term impact will be in regards to admissions since the Class XII exams have been postponed, the admission process for most graduation courses in local universities may have already been completed. These ambiguities would certainly create anxiousness amongst the students and their parents.

A detailed state wise list of conflicting exams and conflicting admissions end dates to universities will need to be prepared to gauge the real impact of this decision and to understand to what extent these students are left to face uncertainties.

The process adopted for Class X students is no different. While majority of students may be happy with this no exam process, the system would put performers at a disadvantage. Also, if any student wishes to write the exam, they will need to wait for alternative dates to be proposed which in effect means that they are losing an entire academic year.

Class XII students also stand to lose an entire academic year in case they wish to gain access to specific universities whose admission process may end by the time the results are posted.

In all, the decision of CBSE Board seems to be more of a bane to students than a boon. While the intention of the Board and the Government may have been to help the students and their parents cope the issues of approaching the exams during these Covid times, at first glance, it appears that the decision has been taken in haste without giving due regard to its impact on the students across India.

Having said that, it is the duty of each citizen of India to help in getting the pandemic under control and considering the pace at which people are currently being infected, it may very well be for the good that this decision has been taken, albeit without regard to its real impacts.

For Students and parents in the States like Gujarat and Maharashtra, which are currently topping the charts for covid cases, this decision would definitely have come as a relief. However, students and parents across other states where life has almost come back to normalcy may not connect with this decision very positively.