TIRUCHY: Educationists in Tiruchy are in favour of conducting the Class 12 public examinations with proper protective measures.
The school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, who hails from Tiruchy, has been conducting a series of meetings with academicians, experts and others regarding the conduct of the examinations. This was in light of the Centre cancelling the CBSE Class 12 examinations due to the pandemic.
Educationists from the Rockfort City have said that the Class 12 board examinations must be conducted and admissions to professional and other higher educational courses should be done based on the marks scored in them.
Former professor at St Joseph’s College Valanarivu Susai said, “Students are ready for the board examinations. As the current situation is the problem, it is only logical to wait for it to ease rather than cancelling the exams.”
“The exams can be held by allowing less than 15 students in a classroom and they can be seated with adequate space. With masks on and social distancing, the students can sit for the exams,” he added.
Sakkubai Neduncheziyan, a Tamil scholar and former professor at Bharathidasan University, said, “Because of the digital divide, students in the rural areas are not able to attend online classes. For them, writing entrance exams, which are tougher than the school exams, would be difficult. So, the 12th exams should be conducted keeping in mind the rural students. Otherwise, we will be denying them higher education opportunities.”
A few academicians also questioned the Centre’s move to cancel the Class 12 CBSE exams while retaining the NEET.
P Subramaniyam, retired Principal of Periyar teacher training institute, asked how holding the NEET was any different from conducting the Class 12 exams.
“For admissions to higher education institutions in the state, 12th marks are a must. So the exams should be conducted with proper protection. If we can conduct the NEET, then the 12th exams can also be conducted. The pandemic situation is the same for both the exams,” he stated.