COVID-19 lockdown: Evaluation for CBSE Class 10, 12 board exams to be done at home by teachers

Evaluation for Class 10, 12 board exams will be done by teachers at their homes and 3,000 schools have been identified as exam centres to deliver the answer sheets to them, Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' said on Saturday.

The move comes following a nod by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to resume the evaluation work by having the exam centres deliver the answer sheets to the evaluators' homes.

The transportation of answer sheets, however, will be allowed in areas other than containment zones.

The minister said 1.5 crore answer sheets of already conducted Class 10, 12 exams will be delivered to the teachers.

"Three thousand CBSE-affiliated schools have been identified as assessment centres across India and special permission will be granted to these schools for the limited purpose of evaluation. Nearly 1.5 crore answer sheets of already conducted exams will be delivered at the evaluators homes and evaluation will begin tomorrow. We will be able to complete the process in 50 days," he added.

As per MHA guidelines, all 16 regional offices of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) can function without restrictions in orange and green zones and with limited restrictions in red zones.

The evaluation of the answer sheets has been delayed due to a nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the coronavirus outbreak. The pending board exams will be held from July 1 to 15 in 29 subjects crucial for promotion and admission to higher educational institutions.

The HRD minister clarified that the results would be declared only after the remaining exams have been conducted in July.

The results for the 29 Class 12 exams will most likely be announced by August-end, before the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) declare the merit list for JEE-Advanced.

The IIT counselling process hinges on when CBSE and respective state boards announce results for the Class 12 board exams. To seek admission to one of the IITs, aspirants who have cleared JEE-Advanced should also have scored at least 75 per cent marks in their board exams. JEE-Advanced has been scheduled on August 23.

JEE-Mains, which is also considered as a qualifying exam for JEE-Advanced, is scheduled from July 18-23, while NEET is scheduled on July 26.