In view of the worsening COVID-19 pandemic situation in the state, the Manipur government on Wednesday cancelled the class 10 and 12 board examinations for the academic year 2020-21.
Briefing the media regarding the cancellation of Board Of Secondary Education Manipur (BOSEM) and Council Of Higher Secondary Education Manipur (COHSEM) Examination, 2021, at the conference hall at Old Secretariat, South Block in Imphal, Education Minister S Rajen Singh announced the cancellation of the annual two major examinations. Orders have also been issued in the regard.
The education minister said that due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts now being faced, many sectors are affected. Education sector is one of the areas of major concern, he said.
It was really a tough decision to make whether the board and council examinations will be suspended or not, he remarked. However, the government after a thorough deliberation and consultation with the stakeholders and local educationalists, and experts, decided to cancel the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) examination, Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate (HSSLC) examination class XI examinations, the minister added.
S Rajen explained that a 14-member committee has been constituted to develop an alternative assessment/evaluation mechanism for assessment of students in Class X and XII.
Commissioner (Education-S) and director (Education-S), Manipur will be chairman and convenor of the committee respectively, he said. The modus operandi of the award of marks, certificates to the students shall be done by this committee with due approval of the government, he mentioned.
He said that there will be diverse reactions and feelings amongst the students and guardians regarding this new decision. “We become helpless when these unseen complications suddenly arise in our society,” he said.
He further appealed to all to pacify themselves amid these prevailing circumstances and cooperate with the decision of the government. He also wished the students a bright future and success. Commissioner, Education M Harekrishna, director, Education(S) L Nandakumar Singh, chairman and secretaries of BOSEM and COHSEM and others were also present during the occasion.
