BMC gives non-state boards the go-ahead to hold offline exams

Though last year permission was granted for offline exams, later it was cancelled considering the Covid situation. Representation pic

For the second year in a row, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has given permission to non-state board schools to hold Std X and XII board exams and related tasks through the offline mode. The BMC's education department issued a circular in this regard on Thursday.

The circular says that the schools will be able to hold science practicals, preliminary exams or practice tests at their premises, by adhering to COVID protocols. As term-end exams of these boards will be held in October, the permission has come as a great relief for them. It will be applicable to schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE), Cambridge and IB Board.

The permission has been granted based on a request by the SLN Global Network, which represents all non-state board schools. "This is an important decision taken by the BMC considering that now learning can be assessed through offline exams and there is no need to rely only on internal assessments. Since the boards had insisted that offline exams be conducted in October-November, thanks to the BMC's decision, students will not miss their exams and it will help them save an entire academic year and ensure that they can continue their educational journey in their chosen universities," said Francis Joseph, president of SLN Global Network.

Speaking to mid-day, BMC education officer, Raju Tadvi, who has issued the order, said, "Such a permission was given last year too. This year the same process will be followed. This year, however, many of these boards have term-sessions in October-November so the permission has been given now. A similar permission will be proposed for state board schools too when their board exams approach."

Though last year permission was given for the same, later the exams were cancelled considering the COVID situation. Now, as the boards have divided the academic year into two terms, one exam will be held in October.