Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) informed the Supreme Court today that the July exams for the CBSE 10th and 12th has been cancelled. Any future exam for 12th class will be made optional for students to participate. Students who do not wish to participate in the exams will be evaluated based on the marks from the two internal exams, reports Times of India.

Solicitor General who was appearing on behalf of the board said that the CBSE exams have been cancelled but students will have an option to appear for the exams when conducted in the future, adds the report.

The said option is only for students who are appearing for the 12th. It should also be noted that even if students want to appear for the exam but if they are from a state which would not allow the board the conduct the exam, then they may not be able to appear.

CBSE had already cancelled the 10th exam for the remaining subjects except for students from Northeast Delhi. The region had witnessed violent riots in February which had led to the cancellation of a few more exams.

ICSE board said in the Supreme Court that they will follow the lead that CBSE has taken and will make the exam options for all the students appearing for the 12th class. Earlier, Maharashtra government had said in the Bombay High Court that they will not allow permission for the board to conduct the exams in July due to the COVID-19 situation.

Students who opt to appear for the 12th exam will give the exam in a conducive environment, adds the report. All COVID-19 protocols will be followed at the exam centre to make sure the students’ health is not compromised.

Many states had expressed inability for them to allow conducting the examinations as many schools have been converted into quarantine facility. Thus, the board has taken the decision to cancel the exam and make it optional.

A decision on JEE Main and NEET UG 2020 examination is also expected to be revealed soon. JEE Main exam is scheduled to be conducted from July 18 to July 23 and NEET UG 2020 exam is supposed to be conducted on July 26.