Vaccinate all Class 12 CBSE students before exams: Sisodia

New Delhi: If health experts clear anti-Covid vaccine jabs for 17.5-year-olds, then all Class 12 students across the country must be vaccinated before the CBSE exams, said Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday.

Sisodia, who holds the Education portfolio, made the demand during the high-level virtual meeting with Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and other Union Ministers along with state education ministers to deliberate on the conduct of the exams. However, it was inconclusive.

"During the meeting, I demanded making arrangements for vaccinating Class 12 students before board exams at a meeting with the central government. Conducting the examination by toying with students' safety will prove to be a big mistake. First vaccine, then exams," Sisodia said.

In a post meeting press conference, he demanded that the Central government should arrange vaccines for around 1.5 crore Class 12 students across the country and the same number of vaccines for teachers.

Sisodia said that nearly 95 per cent of Class 12 students are above the age of 17.5 years, and suggested that Centre should talk to experts aif they can be given anti-Covid vaccines.

Following the Centre's directive, he had on Saturday held a virtual meeting with teachers, educational experts, parents, and students to gain view of collective view regarding holding of the CBSE's Class 12 board exams.

Keeping in mind the severity of the second wave of the pandemic and the emergence of new variants like black fungus etc., many students, teachers and their families are apprehensive about holding the exams, Sisodia had said.