Will Tamil Nadu also cancel Class XII Board examinations?

The Tamil Nadu government has said that it has not taken any decision yet on Class 12 board examinations, as some teachers and parents in the state have been pulling in different directions on the conduct of the exams.

While a majority of the teachers want the exams to be conducted, a section of parents has opposed to such a school of thought. At least 7,000 Higher Secondary schools in the state have already compiled a detailed report based on the viewpoint of parents and teachers as directed by the Education department.

The report has already been submitted to the state government on Thursday. The state government will conduct an online meeting of health experts, educationists, academicians and other concerned people along with the education department officials on Friday. Sources in the Education Department said that based on this online meeting a detailed report will be presented to Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday.

Vijayababu, Principal of a government-aided Higher Secondary said, "When I personally contacted parents and teachers to compile the report for the state government, I could find that the opinion was divided totally. While 100 per cent of the examination to be conducted, only around 20 per cent of the parents have agreed to the proposal. Parents say that it is better to cancel the exams as they are more concerned about the health of their child rather than writing an examination."

The delay is creating a lot of anxiety among the students and parents alike. Aabha Rajkumar, a Class 12 student in a government Higher Secondary school said, "I don't know what is in store for me in future. I had prepared well and is ready to take on the examinations but the uncertainty is killing me. If they are cancelling let them do so otherwise let them do it in a format that is comfortable to students, parents and teachers. If CBSE and ICSE exams are cancelled owing to Covid why not our exams."

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The ultra Tamil nationalist organisations like the MDMK are keen that the exams are conducted. MDMK leader Vaiko has in a statement on Monday called upon the Tamil Nadu government to conduct examinations for Class 12 students. He had charged that it was a deliberate attempt on the part of the Union government to implement National Education Policy (NEP) through the backdoor and that the Tamil Nadu government must not adhere to this.

Parents are however, worried over the health of the students and does not want to take any risk by sending their children to school to appear for the examination.Rajani Arun, a banker at Chennai, said: "There is no need for the government to dilly dally on this issue. If CBSE and ICSE exams stand cancelled, why can't our government take a decision to cancel this examination Medical reports and scientific studies across the globe say that a third wave is imminent and that it will affect children the most. What guarantee can the government provide to my child that she won't get the disease after going to the school to write the exam."

Teachers insist that exams are conducted in some mode and total cancelling of exams will not do justice to the student community in the long run. Raghavendran Manickyam, a Chemistry teacher with a Higher Secondary school, said: "The exams must be conducted, may be later but it has to be conducted. We have good infrastructure and we can hold the examinations adhering to all the Covid protocols. I strongly appeal to the government that the examinations are conducted so that a correct picture of the student is availed, otherwise the value of the education system is gone which should not happen."