Students appearing for Maharashtra Board exams will not have to appear for any practical exams this year. The concession is a part of the revised guidelines issued by State Education minister Varsha Gaikwad today in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Instead of practicals, students can submit written assignments to their respective schools between May 21 and June 10. While class 10, and class 12 humanities and commerce students can submit assignments, class 12 science students can appear for practicals from their respective colleges.
Even as Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Education (MSBSHSE) Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) or classes 10 and 12 exams will continue to be held in April; the board will also hold special exams for students affected by the pandemic in June. The compartment exams will be held in July-August.
As per the earlier announcement, the annual board exams are to begin on April 23 and April 29 for classes 10 and 12, respectively.
To ensure students do not have to travel large distances amid the pandemic, the board has decided to allow students to take exams from their own schools and junior colleges as board exam centres. In case of not adequate seating, nearby centres will be allotted, informed Gaikwad.
Further, Board has also decided to vaccinate staff and those on exam duties before the exams.
A section of students and parents had demanded to postpone exams because of the pandemic. Due to rising cases of the pandemic, the Maharashtra government has issued fresh restrictions including operating drama halls/auditoriums to operate only at 50 per cent of their capacity till March 31. Private offices, except those related to health and other essential services, have also been asked to function only at 50 per cent.
Meanwhile, there were reports that the pass marks requirement for Maharashtra Board will be curtailed to 25 per cent, however, the board had asked students not be believed in rumors.
To make up for the pandemic-led loss of academic hours, MSBSHSE had reduced the syllabus for board classes by 25 per cent. This trend is followed by most of the state and central boards.
In 2020, over 15.75 lakh candidates had appeared for the SSC exams and 14.13 had appeared for HSC exams. This year too about 29-30 lakh students are expected to appear for the exams. Overall pass percentage in Maharashtra Board exams was 90.66 per cent for HSC and 95.3 per cent for SSC students in 2020. To pass the exams, students need to obtain about 35 per cent marks in the board exams, as per the rules.
Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here
Comments
0 comment