CBSE XII board exams cancelled; PM says anxiety among students, parents, teachers must end
New Delhi, Jun 1: The government on Tuesday decided to cancel the CBSE Class XII board exams amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic across the country with Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserting that the decision has been taken in the interest of students and the anxiety among the students, parents and teachers must be put to an end.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Modi in which it was decided that the CBSE will take steps to compile the results of Class XII students as per a well-defined objective criteria in a time-bound manner.
With the decision coming amid a high caseload of COVID-19 cases in several states and continuing health-related apprehensions about the future, Modi said the health and safety of students are of utmost importance, and there would be no compromise on this aspect.
Anxiety among students, parents and teachers must be put to an end, and students should not be forced to appear for exams in such a stressful situation, a government statement quoted the prime minister as saying.
Modi further asserted that all stakeholders need to show sensitivity for the students as well as their parents and teachers.
In the review meeting, officials gave a detailed presentation on the wide and extensive consultation held so far and views received from all stakeholders, including by the state governments.
"In view of the uncertain conditions due to COVID-19 and the feedback obtained from various stakeholders, it was decided that Class XII Board Exams would not be held this year," the statement said.
Modi said at the meeting that COVID-19 has affected the academic calendar and the issue of board examinations has been causing immense anxiety among students, parents and teachers, which must be put to an end.
He said the COVID-19 situation is dynamic across the country, and that the number of cases is coming down with some states managing the situation through effective micro-containment, while some states have still opted for a lockdown.
Students, parents and teachers are naturally worried about the health of the students in such a situation, he noted, asserting that students should not be forced to appear for exams in such a stressful situation.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
