Tamil Nadu class X exams a big logistical challenge

The Tamil Nadu government’s decision to hold the Class X exams for state board students from June 1 — days after the CBSE announced the schedule for leftover board exams in classes X and XII — signifies its acceptance of learning to live with the virus. But that the exams will be held two weeks from now is worrying as the statewide Covid-19 tally, especially the number of positive cases in Chennai, keeps on rising. Around 9.45 lakh students will be taking the examinations across 3,825 centres in the state, with each centre roughly accommodating 500-1,000 of them.

K A Sengottaiyan, the TN school education minister, has assured stakeholders that the government would take adequate precautions like arranging seats to ensure social distancing and getting the premises disinfected regularly. The state will also run special buses to transport students to and from the exam centres. Moreover, the examinations will be held on alternate days to ensure that the measures for disinfection are followed scrupulously. But what may have to be taken into consideration is that many of these centres would be in a containment zone or in areas that may become one in the days to come. The latest data released by the government on May 11 shows there were 1,121 containment zones across the state, with the figures for Chennai alone released on May 12 showing 690 containment zones. If this rises further, rescheduling the centres will be a logistical nightmare.

In addition, the fear of contracting the virus may not only distract the students from giving their best shot, it may also keep them away from the halls. Finally, many schools conduct pre-board exams as a practice test for students so that they get used to the examination format and time management. Even that could not be completed this year as schools had to be shut down by mid-March. So, some stakeholders have suggested that Class 10 exams be scrapped.Conducting the board exams would be a mammoth logistical challenge as the authorities need to ensure the safety of children while creating a sense of security among parents.