Providing safe environment for students is our priority: Maharashtra Education Minister

aharashtra Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad who attended the high level meeting chaired by the Union Ministers and state education ministers to discuss and finalise the date and format for conducting class 12 CBSE board exams, asserted that providing safe environment for students amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is the state government's priority.

Maharashtra Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad who attended the high level meeting chaired by the Union Ministers and state education ministers to discuss and finalise the date and format for conducting class 12 CBSE board exams, asserted that providing safe environment for students amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is the state government's priority.

Speaking toafter the consultation chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Gaikwad said, "In today's meet with CBSE, we discussed that providing safe environment for students is our priority. We will tell the SC that last year was unfortunate for students."

She further informed that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will chair a meeting in the next two days to take a decision on Class 10 and Class 12 examnations.

As India battles the second wave of the pandemic, many states across the country have decided to cancel and postpone the board examinations for classes 10 and 12. However, there is no confirmation on the dates of the Class 12 exam yet.

She further said that the second wave of COVID-19 is going on and an anticipated third wave is yet to come.

The consultation comes in the backdrop of the COVID-19 outbreak last year, that led to the cancellation of many exams including CBSE boards that were cancelled. Since months, the exams are being postponed in the wake of the pandemic leading to academic losses for the students.

The consultation was attended by Union Education Minister RameshPokhriyal 'Nishank', Union Minister for Women and Child Development and Textiles Smriti Zubin Irani, Union Minister for Forest, Environment and Climate change and Information and Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar and Minister of State for Education Sanjay Dhotre.

The Defence Minister has requested all the states and UTs to submit other suggestions, to the Ministry of Education by May 25. The Ministry will consider all those suggestions and take a final decision soon, he said.

( With inputs from ANI )