Human Resource Development Minister, Ramesh Kumar Pokhriyal announced on Wednesday that the remaining board examinations will take place between 1 to 15 July and once they are completed, there is a high possibility of school reopening.
Amidst the lockdown caused due to the coronavirus pandemic, the board examinations of classes 10th and 12th were put on a halt.
As the government has decided that the remaining examinations will be conducted till mid-July, now the HRD the minister asserted that schools might get unlocked shortly, after exams.
However, he stated clearly that the final call would be taken, by observing the current ground situations at that particular time and the ministry will be directed by the health and home ministries.
The gradual ease in the lockdown, provided by the government has created an expectation of reopening the school and colleges all around the country. The speculation appears to be at the commencement of June.
The Minister added that however, the temporary dates are more than a month away. “From July 1 to 15, there will be the execution of exams and the schools will reopen after the exams,” he asserted.
When the minister interrogated how the conduction of board examinations would take place in July, the month expected to have coronavirus spread peak, the minister replied “We cannot foresee what will happen in July. We will dwell on the home ministry and the health ministry judgment. The safety of students will be our greatest concern”.
“I am hopeful the situation will be easy. If it doesn’t get better, we will discuss with the ministry, students, parents. We will contemplate all the recommendations,” the minister further added.
Pokhriyal told a rough draft, that school level examinations will be conducted in July, and a university examination will be happening in August.
He also stated that only final year students will be asked to give final exams and first and second-year students will be promoted on the basis of prior performances and internal assessment.
A special force of NCERT will assess the circumstances and will tell whether it is apt for reopening or not. The University Grants Commission (UGC) will prepare the reports and submit the plan for the reopening of colleges.
Once the coronavirus pandemic decreases and schools started to be reopened, only 33% of the total attendance of students will come to school. Also, only class 8th to 12th students will be allowed to go to school, for the rest of the students, classes will continue the online mode.
Schools all over the country had closed long before the lockdown was declared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 25. Children aged up to 10 being particularly weak to the virus, the primary sections of schools in many states of the country had shut as early as February. Later, when the COVID 19 started to spread at a higher rate, the secondary and higher secondary sections were also asked to remain closed.
