The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) on Friday announced the final timetable for the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and Secondary School Certificate (SSC) board examinations.
The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams will be conducted from April 23 to May 21, 2021, and the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams will be held from April 29 to May 20, 2021.
Reportedly, the exams will be held in two shifts --morning shift (from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm) and afternoon shift (from 3 pm to 6 pm). This is due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in the state.
Earlier, state school education minister Varsha Gaikwad had announced that the exams will be conducted offline. She was answering queries raised by the parents of students preparing for the SSC and HSC board examinations on the mode of conducting examinations on account of the COVID-19 risks.
The Free Press Journal (FPJ) had reported on January 14, 2021, that SSC and HSC board examinations will not be conducted online due to the diversity in economic conditions and lack of access to technical facilities among students of different backgrounds, according to sources from the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE).
Confirming the same, Gaikwad said, "Class 10 (SSC) and Class 12 (HSC) board examinations cannot be conducted via online mode. It is not possible to conduct board examinations via online mode, so the exams will be conducted via offline mode."
