CBSE Class 12 Term 1 Exams: Board stops same-day checking, issues fresh instructions

NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has scrapped its policy of correcting OMR sheets on the same day of the exam for the CBSE Class 12 term 1 exam from tomorrow, December 16, for the rest of the exams. Instead, schools have to send the answer scripts to the board's regional office.

The change was communicated to schools via a fresh set of exam guidelines issued by the CBSE on Wednesday . On evaluation, the CBSE circular says, "The practice of evaluation on the same day in the examination centre is being stopped from December 16. All the Centre Superintendents will pack and seal the OMR sheetswithin 15 minutes after the examination is over in the presence of the Observer. The Centre Superintendent and Observer will sign on the sealed parcel and will mention the time of packing also."

Although the board did not post the circular online even by late evening, principals of several public and private schools confirmed having received the circular via mail and on WhatsApp groups maintained by officials of the board.

The circular says that all the email with the question paper will be sent to schools and the "operation code" will be sent at 10:45 pm. “The Centre Superintendent should ensure that all the students should be inside the exam hall by 10:45 am. In case the students are late, they should be frisked properly,” says the circular.

It further states that students have to be compensated with extra time in case of delay in the examination.

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CBSE has been conducting CBSE term 1 board exams for Class 10 and Class 12 in two terms due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of centres has been also increased twice the size so as to enable the practice of COVID protocols.

The circular reiterated that printing the CBSE question paper in time is the responsibility of the schools and that schools must set up required equipment beforehand. This caused massive confusion among principals of Delhi Government schools that lack resources for printing in bulk and who had been receiving printed questions from the board. In emails sent out as late as 9:54 pm pm on Wednesday night, the board clarified that they will continue to receive printed paper sets from the board.

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Following the exam, centre superintendents have to seal the CBSE answer sheet within 15 minutes of completion of the exam and in the presence of the observer. Both the superintendent and observer have to sign the sealed parcel and state the time of packing. The parcel has to be dispatched to the assigned regional office. Once dispatched, the receipt of the dispatch has to be uploaded.