Amidst rising cases of COVID-19, about 8.5 lakh students in Madhya Pradesh will appear for the remaining Class XII exams of the MP Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE), starting from June 9. The exams, to be conducted in two shifts, will continue till June 16.
A section of students and their parents have been protesting the decision of the Madhya Pradesh government to hold the exams despite the raging pandemic. COVID-19 positive cases tally in MP is nearing the 10,000-mark (9,638 as on June 8 evening) while death toll is at 414.
The school unit of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) held a protest in front of the Gandhi Nagar Government School in Bhopal on Sunday, demanding cancellation of the proposed exams and general promotions for the students.
President of the MP school unit of NSUI, Amit Labana, has also written to the chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Children’s Rights (NCPCR) on the matter.
In the letter, Labana pointed out that the decision of the state government to hold the examinations at this time has put the life of students at risk and added that parents and students are extremely worried.
The NSUI has appealed to the NCPCR chief to direct the Madhya Pradesh government to cancel the exams and give general promotion to the students.
Meanwhile, on Monday, a section of students protested against the proposed exams in Morena. Police resorted to cane charge to disperse the students.
‘Bring water bottle, masks, gloves, sanitisers’
The Class XII board exams will be held in over 3,500 exam centres in the state, including 97 in Bhopal. Arrangements for sanitisation, thermal scanning and physical distancing have been made at the exam centres, MPBSE public relations officer M.K. Chourasia has said.
However, students have been asked to carry their own water bottles, masks, gloves and sanitisers to the exam halls. Isolation rooms will be provided to students who show any symptoms of fever or flu. Masks and gloves will also be made available if students forget to bring them.
The board said students who are unable to appear for exams due to COVID-19 infection or related quarantine will be given another chance to appear along with physically disabled students who cannot appear for the exams due to health reasons. Admit cards have already been released online, and students will be able to come out of containment areas to appear for exams by showing these cards. They have been asked to report one hour prior to exam time at the centres.
The two shifts of exams will commence from 8.00am and 2.00pm respectively.
