Are CBSE Schools Abu Dhabi Ready for Board Exam 2020-21 Amid Covid-19?

CBSE Board Exam is an important milestone in the life of high school students. So CBSE Authorities and cbse schools in abu dhabi are ensuring that everything goes the way it is planned.

These are extremely challenging times for many families and students. CBSE is making several arrangements for the convenience of the students who will be appearing in class 10 and 12 board examinations 2020-21

CBSE board exams scheduled for May 4 till June 11 for Grade 10 students and Grade 12 respectively.The delay in exams is little relief to students as they can get more time to practise. 

Syllabus Reduction & Centre Change

The CBSE has made many changes in their policies and procedures and strategic consideration in alignment with different chapters due to the pandemic. There was a 30% reduction in syllabus.

Many students have been stuck in India and UAE due to Covid-19. CBSE considering the current situation had allowed a change of centre latest by March 31 as per a student’s request both for practical and theory exams(subjected to certain conditions along with supporting documents). However, no alteration will be allowed once the request is submitted by the school.

Usually, CBSE Board Exams are conducted in Feb and it gets over by March, deferred by 1 month this year many students and parents whose visas have expired are stuck for the final exams. Most of them returned to India as businesses were shut for many months which led to economic disruption and financial difficulties for families.

As per Pramod Mahajan, Director-Principal of Sharjah Indian School; 

All stakeholders are happy with CBSE decision of scheduling practical exam before and written exam in May. He further said, “Students are ideally supposed to be in school for at least some days before the final exam in order to adjust themselves as they had been attending online classes for a long period”

Dr Heena Rachh – Principal, GIIS Abu Dhabi considers “the change of centre” as a student-friendly initiative taken by the CBSE. She adds “it is more convenient now for students to give both the practical and theory board exams from their preferred centre”. She also wishes good luck to all the CBSE Students for their board exams scheduled for May 4 till June 11 for Grade 10 students and Grade 12 respectively.

CBSE Board assures students that they have done their best and have asked students to be stress-free and prepare for their board exam. For more information on latest update and syllabus; please visit the website:- https://www.cbse.gov.in/

CBSE also launched an online portal ‘E-Pareeksha’ to assist students of Class 10 and 12.

As per Credence High School, CEO-Prinicipal, Deepika Thapar Singh; E-Pareeksha portal is a one-stop platform for students where they can log in using their board roll number and get all the details about exams date, centre and grievance redressal. 

The best thing is many CBSE-affiliated UAE schools have already started their board practical exams and teachers can upload the internal and practical marks on the online portal itself. 

Here are the details of precautions and measures that all CBSE Indian School Abhu Dhabi will be following for CBSE Board Exam 2021.

• Complying with strict hygiene protocols set by the authorities will be high on the agenda.
• Over the past two months, regular training of teachers has been conducted. Practical exams that had started from March 1 have already given students physical hands-on practice. Students will be called at least once before the final exams in the school which will help students to solve their doubts.
• Teachers are staying constantly in touch with the students and parents for help and support, CBSE authorities on the other hand are leaving no stone unturned for the safety of students, in order to conduct the board examination in the offline mode.
• The number of exam centres for the boards have been increased keeping the pandemic in mind and more teachers have been deputed for the exam duty.
• The CBSE has issued a health protocol to be followed by the exam centres and invigilators. 
• The exam date is prepared in a way so that the total number of students on any day will be limited at the examination centres.
• Exam will be held in one shift from 10.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m for class 10 and For class 12, the exams will be held in two shifts from 10.30 a.am. to 1.30 p.m. and 2.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.
• The two-shift system for the class 12 exams will allow exam centres to follow the strict Covid-19 safety norms and enforce rules regarding social distancing, masks, thermal checks, and sanitisation. 
• Exams will be held for four days in order to maintain the COVID-19 safety protocols
• Staff who will be in the morning shift will not be given duty for the afternoon shift.  
• Only one student will be allowed to sit on a bench and later after the exam the classroom will be sanitized for the second shift.

One of Principals in CBSE-affiliated UAE schools in conversation with a reporter of Khaleej Times, explained  that High Schools in Abu Dhabi  are far more exam-ready. Meanwhile, schools have already started preparing their students for all kinds of exams under any circumstances.

Note to Parents and Students :-

Parents are advised to help and support your child during the stressful times and help them remain focused on their preparations.

Even students should not be worried or get distracted by the speculations. Plan well and study well; leave the rest.