THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amid the Covid-19 surge in the state, this year’s SSLC and HSE examinations will begin on Thursday. The VHSE examinations will begin on Friday. The examinations were earlier scheduled from March 17 to 30, but were later rescheduled to April due to the assembly elections. As many as 8,68,697 students are expected to appear for the exams at over 4,951 centres. The higher secondary examinations will be conducted in the forenoon session while SSLC examinations will be in the afternoon initially and in the forenoon from April 15 in the wake of one month of Ramzan fasting.
The results are expected to be published within a month after completing the examinations.
Arrangements have been completed at all centres with prompt measures being taken in the wake of the pandemic. The state government has already issued an advisory to the schools for strict adherence to the Covid-19 protocol. Only two students will be seated on one bench.
The health department has cautioned the schools to make necessary arrangements so as to ensure compliance with the Covid norms. All students will be screened before entering the exam hall. Those students with mild flu-like symptoms will be seated in separate rooms. All high-risk category students — those in quarantine and who have come from outside the state — will have to undergo a ‘sanitised corridor protocol’.
As part of it, from the quarantine centres, the students and their parents (or guardians) will be brought to the exam centres in dedicated vehicles arranged by schools and parent-teacher associations. After each exam, these students will be taken back to the facilities where they are quarantined. They will be screened and seated separately. As per the direction, it is preferred that students from outside Kerala be allotted separate special examination centres.
Exam schedule
SSLC: April 8 to 29
Afternoon session: From April 8 (From 9.40am)
Forenoon session: April 15 to 29 (From 1.4opm and from 2.40pm on Fridays)
Students: 4,22,226 (2,15,660 girls and 2,06,566 boys)
Centres: 2,947
HSE: April 8 to 26 VHSE: April 9 to 26
Forenoon session: From 9.40am
Students: 4,46,471 (2,26,325 girls and 2,20,146 boys)
Centres: 2,004
Covid protocol
Only two students on a bench
All students to be screened before entering exam hall
Students with mild flu-like symptoms to be seated in separate rooms
High-risk category students to be transported from and to quarantine facilities in dedicated vehicles