Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank is expected to announce the much-awaited schedule of the CBSE board exams on Tuesday when he will be interacting with teachers across the country.

Official sources also said that the schedule of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for Classes 10 and 12, proposed to be held next year through the paper-pen mode, is likely to be announced on Tuesday,

As part of the central government initiative to conduct examinations on time amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has planned a three-way dialogue with the students, parents and teachers across the country. Nishank will interact with the stakeholders through webinars on three days.

Meanwhile, CBSE officials have clarified that there is no proposal to hold the board exams online.

Authorities have been holding discussions this year with students, parents and teachers regarding the board exams even as schools and colleges across the country are in the process of resuming normal classroom teachings for various classes in December 2020 and January 2021.

Right from registrations for board examinations to classroom operations, all work was getting conducted in the virtual mode till now.

Earlier, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank had said, “Online education has become a big challenge for students who have not attended schools and colleges for the last nine months owing to Covid-19 pandemic. But the students should always be ready to turn this challenge into an opportunity.”

“The biggest challenge is to study with stronger determination and will and declaration of board results on time so that a full academic year of students is not wasted.”

After holding virtual dialogues in the coming days, the Minister will review different examinations to be held in various states and Union Territories. A detailed plan for the conduct of these examinations will be chalked out as per the health protocol orders issued by the Ministries of Health and Home Affairs.

The tentative dates for the Class 12 board practical exams 2020-21 were released by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on 23 November amid the speculation that the exams would either be cancelled or postponed in the wake of the COVID19 pandemic.

Back then, Board Secretary Anurag Tripathi had assured that class 10 and 12 board examinations would be held in 2021.

(With agency inputs)