The State government has issued a standard operating procedure for the conduct of public exams in schools from June 15, which includes the use of no-touch thermometers in all exam centres, temperature checks for drivers of buses that bring students to exam centres and strict enforcement of physical distancing norms.

All staff, teachers and students will be screened before they enter the exam centre with a no-touch thermometer. This will be carried out by a team of three persons and physical distancing norms will be enforced when candidates queue up. If there are a large number of students, schools have been asked to contact the jurisdictional CEOs and procure more thermometers.

The SOP for thermal scanning specifies that if the first temperature reading is high, those students can be segregated and a second temperature reading done. If students show any obvious symptoms that prevent them from taking up the examination, they have to be sent to the nearest hospital with an adult escorting them.

If the student has symptoms of an influenza-like illness and has not tested positive for COVID-19, he or she can write the exam in a separate room away from other candidates. For those having COVID-19, they should take up the exams during the supplementary stage.

All buses and vans of private schools should be disinfected before and after each trip and will have to be fitted with sanitiser dispensers. Body temperature of the crew should be checked before each trip and they should wear masks at all times. A list of hospitals and clinics in the nearby areas should be identified and this list should be made available in the vehicles. Standard operating procedure for private hostels which are accommodating students who will take up the exams have also been issued.

Nodal officers

The Director of School Education has asked all districts to appoint a nodal officer who will be in-charge of coordinating transport facilities for government schoolchildren who will take up the public exams.

In a letter, Director of School Education S. Kannappan has asked all CEOs to appoint the nodal officer who will submit details regarding the number of buses needed and bus routes to the exam centres with the Transport Department. Officials have been instructed to inform students well in advance about the details of the bus they will have to take.