Kerala to go ahead with Plus-one improvement exams despite recent COVID-19 surge

Thiruvananthapuram: Unfazed by the soaring number of COVID-19 cases in Kerala, the Directorate of Higher Secondary Education is determined to conduct the Plus-one improvement exam from 31 January onwards.

More than 3 lakh students have registered for the improvement exam. The timetable of the exam that has been scheduled from 31 January to 4 February was published earlier.

The circular regarding the appointment of teachers for exam duty came out on Monday.

The circular, published in the name of the board secretary, instructs the chief superintendents and the deputy superintendents to ensure that the exams are conducted by strictly following the health and safety protocols.

Meanwhile, the circular says that the question papers would be distributed to schools from 27 January onwards.

As per the instructions, the teachers who were on duty during the plus- ne exams last year should report for duty for the improvement and supplementary exams too. However, hundreds of teachers and students are quarantined after testing positive for COVID-19. Meanwhile, some others have become primary contacts after their close relatives tested positive for the disease.

Teachers point out that the number of students attending the classes have dropped drastically in many schools.

Most exams and tests, including the Public Service Commission exams, have either been postponed or rescheduled due to the recent surge in the COVID-19 cases in the state.

Despite this, the Directorate has decided to go ahead with the already announced schedule of the improvement exam. Experts point out that a lot of students might miss their chance to attend the exam.

Meanwhile, the circular warns strict action against the teachers who refrain from reporting for the exam duty, without any order from the secretary.

The teachers have been instructed to do double duty as two exams are scheduled in a day. Usually, teachers are assigned single duty on exam days as they have to work for 3 hours in a single stretch.

Plus-two practical exams too have been scheduled from 16 February onwards. Meanwhile, the training sessions for the teachers who have been assigned duty for these have been rescheduled.

The training sessions that were scheduled on 24 and 27 January will be conducted on a later date.

 

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