THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The General Education Department has faced flak for scheduling the Higher Secondary model examinations in both the forenoon and afternoon sessions from February 15 to 21, leading to complaints that the tight exam schedule would lay added stress on students ahead of the board exams slated to begin on March 1.
As per the date sheet, the state Plus I and Plus II model exams will be held from 9.30 am to 12.15 pm and from 2 pm to 4.45 pm. For subjects with practicals, the exam will end at 11.45 am and 4.15 pm in the forenoon and afternoon sessions, respectively. The Biology and Music exams will be of 2.25 hours and 1.45 hours duration, respectively.
A section of teachers have pointed out that the tight schedule would hardly serve as a ‘model’ for the upcoming Board exam. Taking into account the mental and physical stress involved, only one paper is held each day during the Board exam, they pointed out. “Due to this tight schedule, students will have to spend over five and a half hours in the exam hall everyday. This would only cause additional load and stress on them,” said a higher secondary school principal. Last year too, students and teachers had raised complaints over conducting two model exams per day.
Meanwhile, a senior official of the General Education Department’s Higher Secondary Wing justified the present arrangement.
The official said model exam schedule was prepared taking into account the Board exams that begin on March 1 and will be on till March 26, so as to provide sufficient gap between the exam days.
“The practical exams are already slated to begin by January 22. So, advancing or extending the model exam dates would not be a practical solution at this juncture,” the official said.
PLUS I , PLUS II MODEL EXAMS
From February 15-21
Forenoon session: 9.30 am to 12.15 pm
Subjects with practicals to end at 11.45 am
Afternoon session: 2 pm to 4.45 pm
Subjects with practicals to end at 4.15 pm