Rahul, Sonu Sood, Priyanka urge CBSE to reconsider decision to conduct CBSE board exams

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has appealed to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to reconsider the decision of conducting board exams in view of the rising number of coronavirus cases in the country. In a tweet, Gandhi wrote, "In the light of the devastating Corona second wave, conducting CBSE exams must be reconsidered. All stakeholders must be consulted before making sweeping decisions".

"On how many counts does GOI intend to play with the future of India's youth?" he asked.

Previously, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, also Rahul Gandhi's sister,  has also written to the education minister to consider the demands of students for cancelling the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exams.

Actor Sonu Sood has also come out in support of students who are going to appear in the board exams this year. In a video on Twitter, he raised the concern that giving offline exams amid the second wave of the novel coronavirus pandemic is unfair to students.

In a video message, Sood said, "On the behalf of students, I want to put in a request. CBSE and board exams are going to be held offline, I do not think the students are ready to sit for the exams amid the prevailing circumstances".

According to the revised date sheet for CBSE board exams 2021, the Class 10 exams would be held between May 4 and June 7, and those for Class 12 would be held between May 4 and June 15.

India is seeing over one lakh cases every day for the past few days. On Sunday, India reported over 1.70 lakh fresh cases of COVID-19.  There have been demands from students for holding online examinations and over one lakh students have already signed a petition to the CBSE in this regard.

CBSE officials, however, said as per COVID guidelines, exam centres across the country have been increased by 40-50 per cent to ensure social distancing among students.