BHUBANESWAR: Providing relief to thousands of students, the state government on Saturday announced the dates of the annual High School Certificate (HSC) and Plus II examinations.
The Class X board exam will be held from May 3 to 15. The Plus II board exam will begin from May 15 and conclude on June 11. The practical exams for both will begin from April 29.
To prepare students for the board exams, the government has decided to reopen schools for classes X and XII from January 8. Students will attend 100 days of classroom teaching till April 28, including on Saturdays and Sundays. Students will be allowed to attend school only with a written consent from parents. The state government has issued a detailed standard operating procedure for schools, teachers and students on the subject of reopening.
Only schools outside containment zone will be allowed to reopen. All work areas of the school, including furniture, libraries, toilets, storage places, water tanks and other frequently handled surfaces will be sanitised. Around 20 to 25 students will be allowed to sit in every classroom to ensure social distancing. Schools without 100% access to potable water and adequate functional toilets will not be allowed to reopen. Schools providing transportation facilities will be discouraged from offering them to students, or be asked to offer them at 50% capacity.
The decisions were welcomed by students and parents. “It is indeed a big relief for us. We will get adequate time to prepare for the exam. Although we used to have online classes, they were not sufficient. Classroom teaching will be of great help,” said Ipsita Sahu, a Class X student.
Students, parents welcome board exam announcement
The next 100 days will be a real test for teachers. I request all teachers to be extra careful and give their best to prepare students for the exams. I also request the government to make some changes in the exam pattern and allow students to appear for objective questions only,” said Prakash Chandra Mohanty, secretary of Odisha Secondary School Teachers Association (OSSTA).
The Odisha Abhibhabak Mahasangha, the state-level parents’ association, also welcomed the state government’s decision to reopen schools and announce board exam dates. “Our only demand is that the sanitisation of school premises be taken up by the health and family welfare department to ensure safety of the students,” said Basudev Bhatt, chairman of the association.
The SOP for reopening of schools will be applicable to all government, government-aided and private educational institutes affiliated to other boards as well.