COIMBATORE: School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi released the board examination schedule for classes 10, 11 and 12 for the academic year 2024-25 in Coimbatore on Monday.
Written examinations will be held from March 28 to April 15 for Class 10, March 5 to 27 for Class 11, and from March 3 to 25 for Class 12. Practical examinations will be held from February 22 to 28, February 15 to 21, and February 7 to 14, for the respective classes. The final results will be released on May 9 for Class 12, and on May 19 for Classes 10 and 11, Poyyamozhi said.
The school education minister told reporters that around 25 lakh students are expected to appear for the board exams and advised them to focus on their studies with the help of teachers without getting too stressed.
The minister said the union government has halted the first tranche of Rs 573 crore under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme to Tamil Nadu, citing various reasons.
Centre says it can release funds only if we accept its policies: Anbil
Poyyamozhi pointed out that as many as 27 components, including escort services for schoolchildren in hilly regions, programmes for special children and hi-tech labs, are being executed by the state school education department with the help of the central funds. Under the scheme, centre contributes 40% of the yearly allocation, and 60% is funded by the state.
“The salaries of 32,298 teaching and non-teaching staff under Samagra Shiksha have been paid by utilising the state’s funds,” the minister said. The state government has been pressing the centre, seeking the release of funds every month by meeting with officials in Delhi. We cannot give up on our attempts, he added.
Tamil Nadu has almost touched 62% of Gross Enrolment Ratio and has been placed first in 18 out of 20 components as per union government data, Poyyamozhi said, “The centre says it will release funds to Tamil Nadu, a performing state, only if we accept their policies such as the three-language system, NEP, etc. Is this fair?”
Answering questions on the interim order on fee fixation in the CBSE schools association’s case from 2016, Poyyamozhi said that since CBSE schools are functioning in Tamil Nadu too, the state government will definitely appeal against the order in the Supreme Court.
Under the Professor Anbazhagan School Development Scheme, of the target of 18,000, the government has constructed around 3,500 classrooms, labs, compound walls, and toilets across the state. About Rs 1,000 crore more has been allocated this year and work is under way at government schools on a priority basis.
School Education Secretary S Madhumathi and other officials were present.
