India’s CBSE debunks fake circular about Board exam cancellations
Misleading notice targets Indian expat students of Class 10 and 12 in Middle East
Dubai: India's Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued an urgent warning after a fake circular falsely claiming the cancellation of select Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations began circulating among students and parents in the Middle East.
"Important alert! This is a fake circular," CBSE Headquarters said in a social media post on Sunday morning.
Riddled with errors, the circular claimed that several measures have been taken by the Board including the cancellation of several remaining exams “in view of the extradinary (sic) global circumstances and prevailing war conditions in certain countries, leading to significant disruption, and in the interest of the safety of our students.”
The Board has assured parents that "an official update will follow."
Detailed report
Dr Ram Shankar, director of the CBSE Regional Office and Centre of Excellence in Dubai and head of overseas CBSE schools, confirmed that he had already submitted a detailed report to CBSE headquarters and was in active contact with local regulators, the Indian Ambassador, the Consul General, and the CBSE Chairman.
“We are keeping our eye on the situation," he said, adding that an official notification from CBSE was expected within soon.
Dr Shankar also dismissed the contents of the fake circular, pointing out that it even referenced exam papers for dates on which no examinations were even scheduled, including language papers on February 28.
He urged students, parents, teachers, and other stakeholders to rely only on verified sources. "Always rely on the primary source of information, that is the CBSE social media platforms and website," he said, cautioning that the era of social media required people to be selective and cautious about what they choose to believe and share.
