BENGALURU: Even as the State government is yet to make a decision on SSLC and PU board examinations, rural private schools on Wednesday urged the government to delay, but hold board examinations for Class 10 and 12. Opinions of 250 pre-university colleges was collected by the Registered Unaided Private Schools Management Association (RUPSA), which urge the government to let all PU colleges function as examination centres, and thereby increase the number of exam centres. Examiners should have received two doses of vaccine, they said.
President of the Karnataka State PU Lecturers’ Association Ninge Gowda said mid-term exams and unit tests were held offline in the first week of March, and lecturers had drawn up papers for 50 marks based on reduced syllabus (70 per cent syllabus), and those could be used for evaluation. “For an unbiased system, however, it’s better to announce a grade system instead of marks.”
Meanwhile, President of Karnataka State High School Association HK Manjunath said examinations were imperative, but must be held once the pandemic comes under control. A discussion is yet to take place on SSLC examinations.
“This year, no examination was held to assess students. For instance, the DDPI office ensured a district level test which was akin to preparatory. Some took the test on Whatsapp and some through online mode, but that was localised testing. The focus this year was on continuity of learning.”
A Class 12 student from the district said, “We are not sure what we will be assessed on. I am well prepared for the exam, but at an inter-district student meeting today, many students expressed their plight about losing their parents, and this changed my mind.”
She said that no comprehensive assessment was held so far, and the lockdown was clamped during preparatory exams. “In over two months of offline classes, the focus was on completing syllabus, not the test. Many did not even complete syllabus,” she added.
Students organisation All India Democratic Students’ Organisation said that taking into consideration the opinion of a majority of parents, teachers and students, state board exams for Class 10 and 12 should be cancelled. They too urged a scientific evaluation process after consulting experts and senior faculty.Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Suresh Kumar S, in a release said the decision on SSLC and second PU examinations will be taken at the earliest.