Class X, XII students get exam or internal assessment options: ISCE to HC

The Indian School Certificate Examination (ISCE) board on Monday told the Bombay High Court it would give its students the option to either take the pending examinations in July or have their final results determined based on internal assessment.

The ISCE board had planned to conduct its pending standard X and XII board examinations in July after it got cancelled in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Maharashtra government had, however, opined that holding examinations given the current scenario was not viable.

The board on Monday submitted a note to HC stating that it has decided to offer all students (in India and abroad) whose examinations are pending with an option to either take the pending exams in July or have their final results, in those subjects where exams have not been held, determined based on performance in internal assessment/pre-board examinations, results of which have already been taken from schools.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice S S Shinde was hearing a petition filed by city resident Arvind Tiwari challenging the ISCE's decision to hold its 10thstandard board examinations from July 2-12 across Maharashtra.

Tiwari in his petition claimed since the number of Covid-19 cases was still on the rise, it would be appropriate to declare results based on gradation and assessment of past performance in internal exams conducted by various ISCE schools.

The board, in its note, said it would communicate the option to each of its affiliated schools, which in turn will be required to ascertain the option selected by the students and inform the board by June 22.

The bench, after perusing the board's decision, posted the matter for further hearing on Wednesday.

As per data submitted by ISCE, there are 226 schools in Maharashtra affiliated with it and 23,347 students are scheduled to appear for the 10th standard examinations.