New Delhi, April 24: Harried over re-reading the syllabus and anxious whether they will match or improve their previous performance, about 600,000 class 12 CBSE students across the country will appear for their re-exam for economics paper on Wednesday.
The exam, which was earlier cancelled by the CBSE after the question paper got leaked, will be conducted at 4,000 centres across the country.
The board had exempted the foreign students from appearing for the exam again, since in its investigation, it did not find the leak to have impacted their results.
"About six lakh students will appear for the exam on Wednesday at 4,000 centres," an official from the Central Board of Secondary Education told IANS, adding that the board has taken some extra security measures for the conduct of the exam, which, for the sake of security, cannot be revealed.
Despite appearing for the second time, many students, whom IANS talked to, said they were a little worried, not on account of being ill-prepared but because of the possibility of a tougher question paper this time.
"It is very irritating to have to repeat the paper again. I am just as prepared for it as I was last time. But can't say if they set a tough question paper," said Srishti, a student of Tagore Senior Secondary School, Mayapuri.
"I am fully prepared and making sure to revise the question paper which came last time also. The only worry is that the question paper last time was very easy. I knew it all. It's not about just passing. I want to make sure that I better my previous performance," said Yatin of New Delhi Public School, Vikaspuri.
Another student from Tagore School, Manpreet, complained of having to accord time for this exam's revision, which he could have used to prepare for other competitive exams.
"One of my main worry is that I had done so well last time and the paper was easy. So there is some psychological pressure of course. And also, I could have spent this time on preparing for other entrance exams," he said.
The paper, earlier, was conducted on March 26, but was cancelled and rescheduled to April 25 after the news of the question paper-leak broke.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Bombay HC to form high-powered committee on Mumbai air pollution
Mumbai (PTI): The Bombay High Court on Thursday said it would form a high-powered committee to oversee the compliance of measures to tackle air pollution in the Mumbai region, noting that the efforts taken so far by state and civic authorities are insufficient.
It was not criticizing anyone but wanted to ensure that "people should live in pure air," said a division bench led by Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar.
The HC had in October 2023 taken suo motu cognizance of the rising pollution in the metropolis "which was ranging between good, satisfactory, moderate poor, very poor and severe", the bench noted.
Directions were issued by the court on November 6, 2023, and suggestions were made for short-term, mid-term and long-term measures.
Since then, the HC has made observations expressing dissatisfaction about the steps taken by the Mumbai and Navi Mumbai civic bodies, the judges said.
The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) is simply "sailing on its affidavits," but the steps purportedly taken by it were not sufficient, the court stated.
Air pollution in Mumbai has not decreased, in fact it was reported to be very severe in December, said the judges.
"We have apprised ourselves of the previous orders, and find that compliances so far made by (municipal) corporations and MPCB are not sufficient and satisfactory," the court said.
The authorities might have taken serious steps but their results were not visible, it added.
The court expressed inability to examine all the affidavits filed by the municipal corporations and MPCB and reports submitted by an expert committee (formed in 2023), citing the "rising number of dockets and limited hours and time."
After hearing all the parties at length, the high court decided to form a high-powered committee led by a former Supreme Court judge to monitor the compliance of measures to tackle air pollution in Mumbai and the surrounding areas.
The committee should meet on a daily basis, the court said, adding that its members should be provided necessary facilities.
The bench also referred to a suggestion that the citizens affected by pollution should be compensated.
The lawyer for the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation said there are existing statutory bodies to look into this aspect.
"Maybe there are statutory bodies formed in Maharashtra, but then we have not come across any suggestion or action taken by such a body in the present proceedings..." the court said, adding that it was inclined to give "some powers" to the committee.
The court is expected to finalize the names of the committee members in its written order.
