R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, JUNE 5
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has cancelled the Plus Two annual examinations and said a committee would be set up to decide on awarding marks to students, says a release here on Saturday.
After three days of hectic parleys at ground level with various stake holders – students, parents, teachers, representatives of political parties and educationists, the Chief Minister announced his decision a short while ago.
பன்னிரண்டாம் வகுப்புத் தேர்வு குறித்த ஆழமான ஆலோசனைகளுக்குப் பிறகு மாணவர் நலன் கருதி தேர்வுகளை ரத்து செய்வது என முடிவு செய்யப்பட்டிருக்கிறது.
மதிப்பெண் வழங்குவது குறித்து பரிந்துரைகளை வழங்கிட குழு அமைக்கப்படுகிறது. அந்த மதிப்பெண் அடிப்படையிலேயே உயர்கல்விக்கான சேர்க்கை நடைபெறும். pic.twitter.com/YYl9HRhjLu
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) June 5, 2021
The decision was taken in view of the high prevalence of the second wave of COVID-19 in several parts of Tamil Nadu and also considering the chances of a third wave, the CM said.
Already the central government had cancelled the CBSE, CIESE board examinations for Class 12. Followed by this, various state governments had also scrapped the board examinations for Class 12.
Though many have expressed their opinion for and against the examinations, all of them concerned over the health of the students, as the pandemic is yet to recede, the Chief Minister said.
As per the advisory, entire students below 18 years can’t be vaccinated before conducting examinations, he said.
However, the ways and means of assessment of awarding marks to the students would be entrusted to a committee headed by School Education Department Principal Secretary, and based on its recommendation, marks would be awarded, an official release said, adding such marks alone shall be the basis for admission to college courses.
I've written to @PMOIndia urging him to cancel the conduct of NEET and all other national level entrance exams, keeping in mind the safety of the students, as the reasons for cancelling the class XII board exams are equally applicable to entrance exams as well. pic.twitter.com/It2ngW55r2
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) June 5, 2021
In this situation, it would not be advisable to force the students to sit in for the common entrance examinations such as NEET, JEE etc for getting in admission in the centrally-administered higher educational institutions, hence, “I wrote to the Prime Minister to scrap conducting NEET and JEE common entrance tests across the country,’’ the Chief Minister said.
“I therefore urge you to cancel the conduct of all national level entrance examinations like NEET, as the same reasons adduced for cancelling the Class XII board examinations are equally applicable to entrance examinations as well. Our state may be allowed to fill all professional seats including MBBS seats, on the basis of class XII marks alone, as we have always emphasised. I am sure that you would appreciate the fairness of my request, and will act upon it favourably,” he said.
The move will benefit over 7 lakh students. Last year, over 7.99 lakh students had registered to appear for higher secondary exams in 2020. Last year, the pass percentage has reached 92.3 percent.
