SHAKEELA ANDRABI
SRINAGAR: The annual exams of class XII, for Regular session 2021 of Kashmir Division will begin from November 9 and 83,000 students have been registered for the same. Presently, Board authorities have nominated 741 examination centres for smooth conduct of the examinations in various Government as well as private educational institutions across the Valley. The number of examination centres has been increased as board authorities have directed for ensuring proper social distancing between candidates in examination halls.”Only 50 per cent seating capacity will be occupied in an examination hall in order to maintain proper social distancing,” an official informed. Further, this year J&K Board has announced 30 percent relaxation in syllabus for classes 10th to 12th in annual regular-2021 examinations in view of prevailing COVID-19 pandemic. The relaxation is also applicable for the students in Ladakh UT.
Meanwhile, the decision to conduct class 10th and 12th annual regular (2021) examination of COVID-19 positive students would be taken later, an official of J&K Board of School Examination (JKBOSE) told. He further said that students who would be tested positive during exams or few days before commencement of exams, need not to approach examination centres. “All such students have to produce a proper certificate to prove that they have been tested positive,” official added. The authorities further cleared that if a student will be tested positive during exam days, as notified in date sheet, they need not to approach exam centres. “We are looking for an option for all those students, whose any family-member is COVID positive, to allow him/her appear in the exams as per scheduled date-sheet by providing them an isolated space to write examination,” they added.
Notably the State Executive Committee of J&K Department of Disaster Management has ordered that students appearing in the upcoming class 10th and 12th class annual regular (2021) examination should carry parents’ consent along on each day of examinations. “We have taken care of all guidelines and have notified date-sheet for class 12th. We have uploaded the format of the consent letter on our official website and informed all students about adherence to COVID-19 guidelines as well,” the officials said.
The Directorate School Education Kashmir (DSEK) has also issued instructions to the Chief Education Officers and Principals of District Institute of Education and Trainings (DIET) for making all necessary arrangements for holding examinations in adherence to COVID guidelines. “All necessary arrangements are to be put in place well before the conduct of class XII and X examinations,” the circular reads.
Heads of the institutions, where examination centres have been set up, have been directed to follow all guidelines issued by the SEC of the Disaster Management Department. “The sanitisation of the examination hall, furniture and toilets should be carried out daily before and after exams,” it reads.
The DSEK has further instructed the CEOs to engage only fully vaccinated staff for examination duty. “It shall be the responsibility of the Board authorities and heads of the schools to ensure that prescribed COVID protocols are strictly adhered to and all COVID related SoPs are followed in letter & spirit,” the DSEK circular reads.