'Downright irresponsible': Priyanka bats for online exams, hits out at CBSE

NEW DELHI:Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday said it is irresponsible on the part of the CBSE to force students to appear for Board examinations and demanded that the exams be either cancelled or rescheduled in view of the COVID-19 situation in the country.

She said the Board exams should be either cancelled or be held in such a manner that it does not require the physical presence of students.

"It is downright irresponsible of boards like the CBSE to force students to sit for exams under the prevailing circumstances. Board exams should either be cancelled, rescheduled or arranged in a manner that does not require the physical presence of children at crowded exam centres," she said on Twitter.

The Congress leader said the exam pressure will affect the mental health of children.

"While corona is ravaging our country again, the added pressure of exams is bound to affect the mental health of children. Our education system needs to drastically alter its attitude and start reflecting sensitivity and compassion towards children rather than just talk about at their conclaves and conferences," she said.

According to the revised date sheet for CBSE board exams 2021, the Class 10 exams would be held between May 4 and June 7 and those for Class 12 would be held between May 4 and June 15.

India is seeing over one lakh cases everyday for the past few days and on Friday morning, the country reported almost 1.32 lakh new COVID-19 cases, as per official data.

There have been demands from students for holding online examinations and over one lakh students have already signed a petition to the CBSE in this regard.

CBSE officials, however, said as per COVID guidelines exam centres across the country have been increased by 40-50 per cent to ensure social distancing among students.