With a host of safety measures in place, evaluation of the Plus Two public examination answer scripts began across the State on Wednesday.
While around 60 centres had initially been earmarked to carry out the evaluation work, the number was increased to 202 centres to ensure that physical distancing norms were followed. The evaluation centres located in Chennai were all moved out to schools in Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts.
The Director of Government Examinations C. Usharani said that on the first day, around 10,000 chief examiners and scrutiny officers were present at the centres. “They began the evaluation of answer scripts and ensured that all necessary arrangements were in place. From Thursday, the assistant examiners will take over the evaluation under the guidance of the scrutiny officers and chief examiners,” she said.
In every room, not more than 8 persons including six assistant examiners, a scrutiny officer and a chief examiner will be seated according to the guidelines issued by the government.
The School Education Department had instructed the teachers to wear face masks unfailingly when they come from their homes.
“Sanitisation of the classrooms was carried out twice: before start of the valuation work and after completion, on Wednesday. The safety measure will be followed on a daily basis till the last day of valuation,” said S. Shanthi, CEO, Tiruchi.
In Coimbatore district, as part of COVID-19 precautionary measures, all the teachers were screened at the entrance of the evaluation centres for high body temperature using thermal scanners. Foot-operated hand sanitiser dispensers were also made available at the entrances. The teachers were also advised to bring their own lunches and stationery items in a bid to minimise physical contact among them.
A chief examiner at a centre in Melur, Madurai said that the department had made arrangements to ensure that a maximum of eight people can be seated in a room at a centre.
“They will be providing buses to pick up assistant examiners from Thursday and have arranged for 18 bus routes to six centres,” he said. The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation has coordinated with district-level educational officials across the State to provide transport for teachers.