The Central Board of Secondary Education on Friday informed the Supreme Court that the compartment exams were likely to be conducted by September-end, reported Bar and Bench. More than 2 lakh students of Class 10 and Class 12 are supposed to appear in these exams. Such exams are conducted for those who have failed in a subject. The board said it will issue a notification to this effect by Friday.

The Supreme Court was hearing the petitions filed by students, led by Anika Samvedi, seeking cancellation of compartment exams.

Advocate Roopesh Kumar, appearing for CBSE, said all necessary precautions will be taken keeping the coronavirus pandemic in mind. He added that the board planned to have 1,278 examination centres this time, compared to 575 last year. Kumar said the CBSE will make arrangements so that only 12 students sit in a single classroom this year.

The bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna asked the CBSE to put the details of holding the examinations in an affidavit by September 7. It will hear the matter again on September 10.

The CBSE, however, had cancelled the remaining Class 10 and Class 12 exams, scheduled between July 1 and July 15. The board will conduct the examinations when the conditions are conducive.

The coronavirus has adversely impacted academic activities in India. All schools and colleges have been closed since March. As of Friday, India’s tally reached 39.3 lakh including over 68,000 deaths.

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