After witnessing a decline for several days, India on Tuesday witnessed a rise in daily count as 132,788 fresh Covid-19 cases were recorded in the past 24 hours, as per data released by the Ministry of Health. During the same period, 3,207 people died due to the virus, taking the death toll to 335,102.

The total number of active COVID-19 cases in the country now stands at about 1.8 million in a nation of 1.3 billion people. 

India is witnessing a deadly second wave of the pandemic.

People were seen struggling to get hospital beds, oxygen in this wave of the virus pandemic.

The significant rise in deaths also left burial grounds and crematoriums overwhelmed.

In view of the "uncertain conditions" due to COVID and the feedback obtained from various stakeholders, the government on Tuesday decided that Class XII board exams of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) would not be held this year, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.

The decision was taken at a Prime Minister-chaired review meeting regarding the Class XII Board exams of CBSE. Officials gave a detailed presentation on the wide and extensive consultation held so far and views received from all stakeholders, including state governments.

It was decided in the meeting that CBSE will take steps to compile the results of class XII students as per well-defined objective criteria in a time-bound manner

PM Modi said that the decision to cancel the Class 12 CBSE exams has been taken in the interest of students, IBNS said. 

He stated that COVID-19 has affected the academic calendar and the issue of board exams has been causing immense anxiety among students, parents and teachers, which must be put to an end.

"While the numbers are coming down in the country and some states are managing the situation through effective micro-containment, some states have still opted for a lockdown. Students, parents and teachers are naturally worried about the health of the students in such a situation," said Modi. 

He said that students should not be forced to appear for exams in such a stressful situation.

He stressed that the "health and safety of our students are of utmost importance and there would be no compromise on this aspect."

"In today’s time, such exams cannot be the reason to put our youth at risk," Modi added. (SAM)