KOLKATA: The date of publication of the results of the West Bengal Secondary Examination will be fixed after normalcy returns and lockdown is lifted, Education minister Partha Chatterjee said on Wednesday.
Chatterjee told reporters the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education(WBBSE) will take a call on deciding on the date of publication of results after normalcy is restored and lockdown is lifted.
"The sorting, evaluation process of papers are going on full swing after the exams were completed in February and the rest of the job won't take much of time once normalcy returns. We will decide accordingly," he said.
The minister said the exams for the remaining two Higher Secondary papers will be undertaken after June 10.
"We will prioritise completing the HS exam process first after June 10," he said.
Chatterjee said the academic calendar of different state universities and affiliated colleges, involving 19 lakh students in UG and PG, will be fixed by the respective universities in consultation with the higher education department.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday urged private hospitals of the state not to refuse any patient approaching them for treatment of coronavirus infection.
The chief minister's appeal came after allegations were raised that some private facilities are refusing to treat patients with symptoms of coronavirus.
"We have collaborated with 51 private hospitals (to treat COVID-19 patients). Do not forget that the state government is bearing all the expenses of their treatment. But other hospitals also can treat coronavirus cases by taking necessary precautionary measures. I appeal to everybody to provide treatment to them," she told reporters at the state secretariat.
"But we also have to look after the vaccination of the children, dialysis of patients, pregnant women and cardiac patients.
We will soon issue an advisory for private hospitals so that they keep their facilities operational and do not refuse the patients coming for treatment (of COVID-19)," she added.
Banerjee also urged doctors to reopen their chambers and start providing treatments strictly following the social distancing norms.
Meanwhile, in order to normalise services at hospitals after the lockdown is revoked, the health department has issued a directive asking the state-run facilities to draw up a blueprint for crowd management.
"While there is lack of clarity on when and how the lockdown will be lifted, it is certain that we will have to normalise hospital services in a phased manner, commensurate with the evolving situation," the directive said.