Goa: Only 12 students per hall at Class X & XII public exams

PANAJI: To ensure social distancing during the Class X and XII public exams, the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education on Thursday said there will be only 12 students in each exam hall as against the earlier 25. This has led to an increase in the number of exam sub-centres.
A new timetable for the exams was also issued. The Class X exam will begin on May 21 and all the main papers will be over on June 1. Exams for the three remaining Class XII papers will be held from May 20 to 22.

In light of limited public transport availability, Goa Board chairperson Ramkrishna Samant said headmasters have been assigned the responsibility to ensure that Class X students from their respective schools reach the exam halls.
“Most students are dropped and picked by their parents. But we have made it the responsibility of the school headmaster to assist students in case they have no other means to travel to and from the exam hall,” he said.
‘Parents must be 200m away from centre’
The Goa Board, in its circular, said it is also the responsibility of the headmasters to inform parents that they have to be at least 200m away from the exam centres or sub-centres.
Higher secondary school teachers will be engaged for smooth conduct of the Class X exam, while secondary school teachers will be roped in for the Class XII exam. Even nonteaching staff have to be made available during the exam, the board said. School PTA will also be involved if required.
“Volunteers will be positioned at the entry points to further assist candidates to reach their respective blocks. Candidates will be allowed to leave the examination hall one-by-one block-wise at the end of the examination,” the board circular stated.
The exam conductor appointed by the board has to ensure that a stall is set up at the centre with glucose, small, sealed water bottles, and mask and sanitisers. Exam blocks will be santisised before the exam starts and students will be allowed to carry transparent water bottles, sanitisers and masks inside the hall.