UAE Indian Students Push Back as CBSE Offers Class 12 Re-Exams Months After Results
The decision to allow Indian students and parents in UAE to take the Class 12 exams, which were cancelled earlier this year, has been welcomed but many have said it is too late to be practical.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced on 15th September that the students who are eligible in the UAE and other Middle Eastern countries can reappear for examinations in 40 subjects. The original papers were cancelled in March, during a period of tension between the United States, Israel and Iran in the region.
The decision comes after an order from the Supreme Court and complaints from students who were unhappy with the results of a new assessment system that incorporated internal marks for the cancelled exams.
But several months have elapsed since the results were announced and many students have begun their university programmes, including abroad. Others have been re-evaluated and have had better outcomes.
Logistical issues may also arise for students who decide to retake the exams. CBSE has stated that the papers will be kept at the centres where the students had registered and may need to be sent back to the UAE if the students have gone abroad. The exam dates are not yet available.
One Dubai student studying artificial intelligence and data science in India said the decision would have been more useful if announced earlier, before students moved on to university.
Parents also voiced their concern about the pressure of revisiting the Class 12 syllabus in the context of university coursework.
Schools have welcomed the CBSE move and stated that they are ready to help students opt for the exams. Indian High Group of Schools announced that it will offer refresher classes.
But for many families, the question is whether a chance that comes months later can fit into students’ new school year.
