Time to plan about how students will be assessed in 2022: Manish Sisodia

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia Wednesday said it is time the government starts planning about how class 10 and 12 students will be assessed in March 2022 considering another academic session could be affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

His remarks came a day after the Centre announced cancellation of class 12 board exams by CBSE in view of the pandemic situation. The ICSE also cancelled it class 12 board examinations.

"It is time to move on to next year. We cannot deny that another academic session could be Covid-19 affected and we need to plan before it's too late once again," Sisodia told PTI in an interview.

Also read — CBSE, CISCE Class 12 Board examinations cancelled due to Covid-19

He stressed on the need to be ready with a "foolproof formula" for next year to avoid scope for any "knee jerk decision".

"Now is the right time. A foolproof plan should be ready about how will the assessment be done in March 2022, and according to it, the current session should be planned and students should be prepared. Internals, online and semi online activities should be as per that plan rather than preparing students differently and then saying we will not pass them without taking exams.

"I feel if we do not start now, it will be again too late for next year and will then lead to an unprepared and knee jerk decision," he added.

Sisodia, who is also Delhi's Education Minister, said his team is working on a draft plan in this regard and he will share the recommendations with the CBSE and the Centre.

"A team is working on a plan on how academic session can be conducted for board and non-board classes and how can the assessment be done. Once we are done with the draft plan, I will share the recommendations with CBSE and the Centre," he added.

Sisodia, who had earlier told the Ministry of Education that going ahead with exams before vaccinating the students will be a disaster, said there can still be no second thought about it.

"Exams or no exams, there cannot be a second thought about need to vaccinating students. The stocks are so low that we are not able to vaccinate people within age group of 18-44. All of this has to be done soon, the trials for vaccines for children and getting Pfizer vaccine for them, all of this has to be done on priority," he said.

The Centre on Tuesday decided to cancel the CBSE class 12 board exams amid the continuing Covid-19 pandemic across the country with Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserting that the decision has been taken in the interest of students and the anxiety among students, parents and teachers must be put to an end.

Sisodia also reiterated that the CBSE should announce its policy for evaluating students of class 12 at the earliest.

"They should come up with an unbiased and objective criteria at the earliest so students can start looking forward to undergraduate admissions," he said.