CBSE to conduct only crucial exams in India, nothing in foreign countries due to COVID-19 situation

New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will conduct class 10 and 12 examinations for only 29 main subjects which are crucial for promotion and admission to higher educational institutions, Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' announced on Wednesday.

"Have advised CBSE to conduct board exams only for 29 main subjects that are required for promotion and crucial for university admissions.

Whenever CBSE is in a position to hold board exams, it shall conduct for 29 subjects by giving adequate notice. For rest of the subjects, CBSE will not hold board exams and instructions for their marking, assessment will be issued soon," he said.

The exams were postponed in view of the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

Meanwhile, CBSE said that it will not conduct pending class 10 and 12 examinations in foreign countries due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"There are several CBSE schools located in 25 countries. Each of these countries are also under lockdown or have decided to close down the schools for various and differential lengths of time. Under such circumstances, it is felt that the board will not be in a position to hold differential set of exams for each of these countries," CBSE Secretary Anurag Tripathi said.

"Also, in the present situation, it will be difficult to bring the answer books to India for evaluation purposes. Therefore, the Board has decided to not hold any more exams for the students of class 10 and 12 schools located outside India. The system of marking and assessment for the purpose of declaring results will be worked out by the Board shortly and informed to these schools," he added.

The worldwide number of officially confirmed fatalities from the novel coronavirus rose to 43,082 on Wednesday.

In India, as many over 375 new cases of COVID-19 were since Tuesday evening.