In a circular issued late on Tuesday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has permitted Mumbai schools to conduct offline examinations with prescribed precautions against the COVID spread. Though all schools, under the council of ICSE, CBSE and state boards have been allowed to schedule offline examinations for students of classes 10 and 12, Cambridge Board schools have received BMC's favour to conduct offline exams for classes 9 to 12.
Mumbai schools permitted to conduct exams from Jan 18 onwards
Unlike other schools in Maharashtra, which reopened on November 23 for classes 9 to 12, Mumbai schools were directed by the BMC to remain closed until January 15 to arrest the spike of coronavirus cases through educational institutes. However, now in view of the appeal by Members of International Schools' Association (MISA), BMC has permitted all schools, under national, international and state boards to conduct offline exams for classes 10 and 12, as per their own schedules.
Due to the rampant spread of coronavirus and the consequent lockdown, both schools and students were shrouded by uncertainty about the schedule and mode of board examinations. The confusion extended further when dates and schedules were not announced by several boards. While the CBSE slated examinations in May, the Maharashtra state board did not provide with any schedule until recently.
Though a time table is yet to be drafted, the state board has announced that exams will be held in April for class 12 and in May for class 10. The Cambridge Board has scheduled examinations in the last week of January. All schools, irrespective of their council affiliation have to adhere to the precautions prescribed by the BMC in view of the coronavirus pandemic.
