The Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education (CGBSE) on Thursday cancelled its Class X examinations this year in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation in the state and the safety of students, authorities said.
The Board also suspended its Class XII examinations scheduled to commence from May 3, and a fresh timetable will be released once the COVID-19 situation improves, they said.
The decision comes days after the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) cancelled its Class 10 examinations and postponed Class XII examinations.
A notification issued by CGBSE secretary V K Goyal said that keeping in view the surge in COVID-19 cases and the crisis situation arising in Chhattisgarh, the High School Certificate (Class X) examination for the academic year 2020-21 stands cancelled.
This exam was scheduled to commence from April 15, but due to the lockdown imposed in almost all districts in the state due to coronavirus, it was earlier suspended, and cancelled now.
The notification said that marks will be allocated to Class X students on the basis of assignments issued by the board. If any student has not done the assignments or has not obtained minimum passing marks in the assignment, then they will be given minimum passing marks.
If any student is not satisfied with the allotted marks, then he or she will be permitted to appear in grade/division upgrading examination, once the pandemic comes under control, it added.
As per the earlier schedule, the CGBSE was set to conduct the Class X examinations from April 15, which would have concluded on May 1. The Class XII exams were scheduled to begin on May 3 and end on May 24.
As many as 4,61,000 students have registered themselves for Class X exams and 2,87,000 students for Class XII exams in the state.
Talking about the decision, School Education Minister Dr Premsai Singh Tekam said it was taken in view of the present COVID-19 situation in the state and the safety of children.
The CBSE has already cancelled Class X examinations and suspended Class XII examinations, he said, adding that many states have similarly cancelled or suspended their board examinations.