BSE withdraws form fill-up notice for 2021 boards after criticism from students, parents
Bhubaneswar: The Board of Secondary Education (BSE) on Saturday withdrew its decision to get students to fill up forms for the annual High School Certificate (HSC) examination 2021.
The form fill-up process was to be held from November 9 to December 2. It has been withdrawn following criticism from teachers, students and parents. “The BSE has been asked to withdraw the notice for the form fill-up. We are aware that many children could not attend online classes. In such circumstances, holding the board exam is impractical,” said Samir Ranjan Dash, school and mass education minister.
Schools have been shut across Odisha since mid-March. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik has warned everyone to remain alert for a possible second wave of Covid-19 in December, prompting the government to keep schools closed till December 31. The board’s decision to start preparing for the final exam thus invited criticism from several quarters.
“When students have not entered school for a single day in the current academic session, it is laughable that preparations for board exams have started. More than 75% students could not attend online classes. Even those that attended them are not satisfied with the virtual teaching-learning process. How can the government even think of board exams?” asked Prakash Chandra Mohanty, secretary, Odisha Secondary School Teachers Association.
The BSE normally conducts the Class X boards in February and the Council of Higher Secondary Examination conducts the Class XII boards in March. Next year, national boards have planned to push back their final exams by 45 to 60 days.
“Shifting of the academic calendar from April to January is the only option left to the government. If normal classes start from January, exams can be held in June,” said academic Kamala Prasad Mohapatra.
Of the 60 lakh students in the state, only around 22 lakh could participate in online education. The rest were deprived of the facilities. “We are neither ready nor prepared for board exams. It would be better if we drop a year and appear for the exam in 2022,” said Samita Sahu, a Class X student.