Following the announcement of the dates of Class 10 Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Class 12 Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) board examinations, schools are initiating measures for conducting offline practical and theory exams as per the COVID-19 safety protocols. On the other hand, teachers are focusing on completing THE syllabus within the next three months.
Varsha Gaikwad, the state school education minister, had announced on Thursday, "HSC board theory examinations in Maharashtra will be held from April 23 to May 29, 2021. The SSC board exams will be held from April 29 to May 31, 2021. Practical examinations of HSC board students will be conducted from April 1 to April 22 while, internal assessments or practical exams of SSC students will be conducted from April 9 to April 28, 2021."
Also, the state school education department has directed all schools and junior colleges to conduct the SSC and HSC board exams in compliance with the Central and state governments’ COVID-19 rules and regulations. Both SSC and HSC board theory examinations will be conducted offline, according to the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE).
Schools are currently preparing at the ground level to initiate COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Fr Francis Swamy, joint secretary of the Archdiocese Board of Education (ABE), which manages a chain of 150 schools in Mumbai, said, "We will initiate safety protocols such as mandatory wearing of masks, use of hand sanitisers, body temperature checks and maintenance of social distancing during SSC and HSC board exams. We are just concerned as schools need to reopen offline for practical and laboratory lectures for SSC and HSC students."
The principal of a South Mumbai school said, "Following the announcement, we have started informing students in regular online lectures about Covid-19 safety and precautionary measures for SSC and HSC board exams. Our teachers are also informing students and their parents about the steps taken by the school in order to dispel myths and mitigate their fears."
Teachers said they aim to complete the syllabus by March-end so that students have sufficient time to prepare for HSC and SSC board exams. Vinima Ghosh, a Class 12 professor said, "We are trying to complete the academic syllabus via online lectures by the last week of March so that we can conduct revision classes in April." While, Yashwant Khandekar, a Class 10 teacher said, "We are trying to complete the syllabus by explaining tough concepts in detail and, delegating homework and self-learning assignments through virtual classes."
