BENGALURU: Class 12 students of the CBSE, ICSE and state boards continue to feel like they are sliding into an unending rabbit hole of anxiety, with little knowledge of how their board examinations will be held amid the Covid-19 second wave. Also, little clarity from their respective boards about the protocols they plan to put in place when conducting the exams, only adds to their anxiety.
“Exams should have been held when the caseload was low. Several students, including a few of my friends, have lost one or both parents to Covid... it takes a toll on mental health and it is difficult to perform well in exams. It has been a tough year,” said Dia Nandini Kumar, a Class 12 ISC student.
With Class 12 being a decisive year for students to get admission in colleges, another CBSE student said she has decided not to attempt any entrance exam, and instead take up a regular course. “It will take at least two more months for things to return to normal. Besides, even if pre-board marks are considered this year, how will colleges sieve the candidates? Several students who wrote the exams online from home, have scored well, some even by cheating,” the student rued.
Nandan Bhat, a Class 12 CBSE student, said that deferring the board exams only delays the process of applying to colleges. He too felt that exams should be cancelled and students promoted based on objective criteria, and marks scored in previous exams (like grades for Class 10 CBSE students).Dhwani Mothay, general secretary (School Affairs In-Charge), Bangalore Student Community, said the PU-II exams should either be conducted online or cancelled.