Thiruvananthapuram: The SSLC and plus-two exams will begin in the state on Thursday. The exams were postponed to April 8 due to the state Assembly elections.
A total of 4.22 lakh students are appearing for the SSLC exam, while 4.46 lakh students for the plus-two exams. A total of 28,565 students will be appearing for the VHSE second-year exams that begin on Friday.
On Thursday, Friday and April 12, the plus-two exam will be conducted in the mornings and the SSLC exam in the afternoons. After that, the exams will be held on alternative days. The exam begins at 9.40 am. Students will be given a 20-minute cooling time.
As the second wave of COVID-19 has begun, the exams will be conducted as per strict safety guidelines. The schools, which were polling centres, have been disinfected by the local bodies.
SSLC exam till April 29
The SSLC exam will be held till April 29. Of the 4.22 lakh students, 2,06,566 are girls while 2,15,600 are boys. There are 2947 exam centres, while nine each in the Gulf and Lakshadweep. The most number of students are appearing for the exam at Edarikode PKMMHSS in Malappuram, 2076.
There are 990 private students. Also, 2889 students are appearing for the exam in the THSLC category, 257 students in the hearing-impaired category, and 68 in the AHSLC category.
The plus-two exams will conclude on April 26. Of the 4.46 lakh students, 3,77,939 are in the school category. There are 2004 exam centres. The VHSE second-year exams will also end on April 26. There are 389 exam centres.
Separate room for COVID-infected students
• Healthcare workers should be informed if students have tested positive for COVID-19. They should be allowed to write the exam in separate rooms. These students and teachers should be given PPE kits.
• Masks mandatory for everyone. Those without masks should be provided masks from the schools.
• Sanitisers should be made available at the school entrance.
• Teachers on exam duty should also mandatorily wear masks and use sanitiser
• Students need to undergo thermal scanning
• Students with higher temperature should be allowed to write the exam in separate rooms.
• School authorities should ensure the travel facilities for the students.
Classrooms
• Exams should not be held in AC classrooms
• Only two students on one table. Maximum 20 students in one room
• Students need not sign to mark attendance, teachers will make a note of it
• After answer sheets are returned, monogram need not be stamped.
• * Students should not be allowed to share pens and instrument boxes.
• Teachers need not sign on additional sheets of the answer paper, hall tickets etc.
Exam duty after polls
Meanwhile, teachers are appearing for exam duty immediately after poll duty without adequate rest. Several teachers returned to their homes early on Wednesday after completing the poll duty. But most of them had to return to the schools on Wednesday for exam preparations, such as putting the roll numbers in classrooms. Teachers who have been entrusted with securing the question papers also had to reach early on Thursday.