Mizoram reverses decision to resume class 12 board exams amid lockdown
The decision to postpone the Higher Secondary SchoolLeaving Certificate (HSSLC) examinations till further orderswere taken during a meeting of the MBSE officials held onFriday evening, a notification issued by the Board said.
The decision was taken following an appeal by thecentral government to put on hold the examination due to thelockdown imposed to contain the spread of novel coronavirus,it said.
"The rescheduled class 12 board examinations for theremaining subjects in Arts, Science and Commerce streams havebeen postponed till further orders.
"The MBSE has sought an apology from all the studentsand stakeholders for the inconvenience as the Centre's appealhas to be respected," the notification said.
It said the Board had initially decided to resume thesuspended examinations to ease the students' inconvenience asMizoram at this point of time is believed to be "more or lessfree from coronavirus" as no new cases have been reported andmost of the persons placed under quarantine have completedtheir isolation period.
A 50-year-old pastor from Mizoram, who had travelledto the Netherlands, is the lone COVID-19 patient in the state.
Of the 769 persons who were placed under quarantine,588 have completed their isolation period and were dischargedwhile 177 are still in the quarantine facilities at present,Health officials said.
The MBSE, in a notification issued on Tuesday, saidclass 12 board examinations for the remaining subjects will beheld from April 22 to 24.
The Board notification was confirmed by EducationMinister Lalchhandama on Wednesday.
The board examinations will resume in view of thehardships faced by the students. The issue was discussed bythe cabinet and during a meeting of all political parties,NGOs and student bodies, which recommended the resumption ofthe examinations, the minister had said.
Around 4,700 students are yet to complete their boardexaminations.
The decision sparked an agitation from a section ofstudents, who launched a 'no exam' campaign on social media onThursday.
The students argued that many of the examinees whohave left the state and several others who are in theirvillages will face problems in reaching the examinationcentres due to the lockdown.
They also accused the state government of backtrackingfrom its earlier decision to resume the board examination onlyafter lockdown is lifted and normalcy returns to the state. CORACD ACD