Exams for classes V, VIII may be delayed in government schools

JAIPUR: Involvement of government teachers and education department officials in the recently concluded Vidhan Sabha polls for over ten days coupled with the formation of a new government is likely to delay the exams for classes V and VIII in government schools.
The District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) responsible for holding Class V exams has hinted that since the model code of conduct was in place since October, the examination process for about 20 lakh students has slowed down.

The involvement of teachers in elections has derailed the course schedule and examination process.

The exam for Class VIII is conducted by the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE) which is already overburdened with class X and XII board exams and has expressed reluctance in taking up any additional responsibility.

“It has certainly affected the process but I am sure that teachers will complete the curriculum on time. Examination forms are being submitted in schools for both classes,” said Arunesh Sinha, director of DIET, Jaipur.

Some officials shared the inside story. “Since the model code of conduct is in place since October, the decision-making has become extremely slow. The system will not normalise until the new government is formed. Other than human resources, huge financial resources are also required to conduct these exams which are bigger in volume than the class X and XII exams,” said an official.

Exams for classes V, VIII will take place after class X and XII boards in April.

Any delay will push the exams to May which has unbearable climatic conditions.

Meanwhile, Kishan Mittal, spokesperson of Swayamsewi Shiksha Sansthan, a body of RBSE schools, has argued that English books for upper primary classes for this year are yet to be distributed in government schools.

“Students are forced to purchase books from the market. It needs to be probed that when order for the books was placed at the beginning of the year, why have they not reached schools,” said Mittal.