60% feel cancellation of Class XII exams can adversely affect students' career

While the CBSE and CISCE Class XII board exams may have cancelled, more than 60 per cent of the respondents in the IANS-CVoter CBSE Snap Poll feel that the move can adversely affect the career of the students.

A total of 60.6 per cent respondents said that the cancellation can adversely affect the career of the students, implying that there is a great uncertainty over what will unfold next.

The IANS-CVoter CBSE Snap Poll was conducted in the aftermath of the Union government's decision to cancel the Class XII board exams taken on June 1. The all-India sample size for the snap poll was 5,422 and the fieldwork was conducted on June 2.

A majority of the respondents – 49.1 per cent -- are of the view that instead of cancelling the Class XII board exams, the government should have postponed them, as per the snap poll.

Of this, the opinion is stronger among the younger set of respondents. In the 18-25 age group, 50.8 per cent echoed this sentiment while only 46.2 per cent in the 56-plus age group said that the exams should have been postponed.

Notably, while several states like Rajasthan, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Uttarakhand have cancelled Class XII board exams, Chhattisgarh is holding offline exams. Others, including Karnataka and Odisha, are yet to announce a final decision on the matter.


The large number of respondents said that while career is important for the students, health risks should be avoided keeping in view of the spread of the deadly virus in the country, saying that conducting offline exams can prove fatal.

Notably, 60 per cent of those surveyed said that cancelling Class XII exams can have adverse impact on the career of the students and to avoid such a situation, the government should opt for alternate mechanisms like digital mediums to conduct various exams.

A whopping majority of the respondents -- 76.4 per cent -- said the government should think of using digital mediums to conduct various competitive exams like IIT/JEE, NEET and for admissions to universities and colleges in a fair manner to prevent loss of a career year of the students.


However, 60 per cent of the respondents expressed concern about the digital divide in the country, saying that those not having access to digital platforms, especially in the rural areas, will be in disadvantageous position.

A large number of respondents said the government should work on improving the digital infrastructure in the rural areas of the country to face such challenges in the future.

In view of the uncertain conditions brought about by the pandemic and taking into account the feedback obtained from the various stakeholders, the Centre on Tuesday decided to cancel the CBSE Class XII board exams for 2021.

After the government's decision, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) also scrapped the ISC Class XII exams for this year, saying that a scheme for evaluating the students will be announced soon.

The decision to cancel the CBSE Class XII board exams was taken in a review chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. - IANS