Coronavirus impact | Tamil Nadu govt cancels Class 10 exam; over 9 lakh promoted to next class

NEET Exam

All Class 10 students in Tamil Nadu will be promoted to the next class as the K Palaniswami government cancelled exams scheduled for June 15. In addition to Class 10, the government has also decided to cancel Class 11 exams. Moreover,  supplementary and arrear exams for Class 12
students have also been postponed.

"Under the prevailing circumstances, coronavirus cases are increasing rapidly in Chennai and some districts. Epidemiologists have said there is no scope for reduction in the spread of the virus in this short period of
time," he said.

To protect students, board examinations scheduled for Class 10, and for subjects that could not be conducted for Class 11 are fully cancelled and students are declared promoted, the Chief Minister said, adding that 80 percent marks will be calculated on the basis of marks in quarterly and half-yearly exams, and 20 percent on attendance.

The government had made preparations to hold the exams from June 15 to 25.

Interestingly, the announcement comes a day after Madras High Court asked the state government to reconsider rescheduling the exams in view of rising COVID-19 cases. The court said the state government cannot put lives of more than 9 lakh students at stake.

The High Court was hearing a petition filed by a teachers' association challenging the government's decision to conduct the exams amid the coronavirus pandemic. While the bench did not pass an order, it posted the matter for June 11 and asked the state government to inform its stand on the matter.

On June 8, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao announced that the Class 10 board exams stand cancelled and all students will be promoted to Class 11 without having to write any examination.

(With inputs from PTI)