Demanding cancellation of Class 10 and 12 Board exams in view of the present Covid-19 situation, several students staged a protest at the Master Canteen Square in Bhubaneswar on Monday.
The students also alleged that their educational institutions have failed to complete the syllabus due to continuous closure and therefore, conducting the exam amid the pandemic will cause more harm than any good to them.
"We faced a lot of difficulties while appearing for the quarterly exam. Now, in view of the present situation, we should be awarded marks as per that quarterly exam results. Our college is yet to complete the entire syllabus; even 30 per cent of the course has not been completed," said a student, Barsharani Jena.
Class 10 student, Swadhin Kar, said, "If the situation doesn't permit to conduct the Board exam, the government can publish the result on the basis of our marks in the Summative Assessment-I exam. But if the government decides to hold the exam, we must be informed much earlier to prepare ourselves."
However, the State School and Mass Education Minister, Samir Ranjan Dash has already stated that Class 10 and 12 students should be ready with their preparations for the Board examinations. “Taking into account the present Covid-19 situation, there are possibilities of holding the Board examinations,” he said on Monday.
Soon after the Minister made the statement, Twitter flooded with students urging the government to reconsider the decision. A Twitterati wrote, "This is the only department which takes decisions without consulting the experts in Health & Academics. Thats why every time they took decision, then revert that next day. Everybody knows the current situation of pandemics, so Mr Minister should think twice before taking decisions."
Another user wrote, "Government Don't want to know what happening with the students. Exams should be held but teach us properly. Government Colleges sent report to Samir sir that they have completed syllabus but they are not doing proper classes And Why our Quarternal exam conducted? For time wasting?"
The summative examination-1 for the Class 10 students has been completed in the State and the summative examination-2 is expected to be held next month. Similarly, the final exam of Class 12 is scheduled to be conducted in March.