CBSE Class 10, 12 students with special needs can skip remaining board exams

NEW DELHI: Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) stated that students with special needs availing facility of the scribe can skip appearing for class 10 and 12 pending board exams as it will be difficult for them to follow the social distancing norms. The board will declare their results as per an alternative assessment scheme. In view of the COVID-19 lockdown, CBSE postponed the board exams which are now scheduled to be held from July 1 to 15.

A senior board official said, "In case children with special needs availing the facility of scribe do not wish to appear in the forthcoming examination because of noncompliance of social distancing norms, the students can inform their respective schools and their result will be declared as per the assessment scheme to be decided by the board,"

Earlier, the board had decided that class 10 and 12th board exams will be held in the respective schools. There will be no external exam centre.

CBSE offers several exemptions to children with special needs in accordance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. "In addition to extra time, scribe or reader, computer or laptop (without internet), from this year we had also allowed use of basic calculators for candidates registered under CWSN category," the official added.

A total of 6,844 students of class 10 and 3,718 students of class 12 are registered under Children With Special Needs (CWSN) categories including visually impaired, spastics, dyslexics, muscular dystrophy, locomotor impairment, dwarfism and others.

While the Class 12 exams will be conducted across the country, the Class 10 exams are only pending in North East Delhi. The exams could not be conducted in the national capital's district due to the law and order situation in the wake of protests against the amended citizenship law. Universities and schools across the country have been closed since March 16, when the Centre announced a countrywide classroom shutdown as part of a slew of measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.

The board had announced in April that it will only conduct the pending exams in 29 subjects, which are crucial for promotion and admission to higher educational institutions. The board has also mentioned that no Class 10 and 12 pending exams will be held in foreign countries. The board will soon announce an assessment scheme for foreign students and children with special needs.