School education minister announces 515 new exam centres for 17 lakh students this year

The location for these centres will be chosen so that students do not have to travel beyond 10 kilometres to take exams. 

Sengottaiyan also said that keeping in mind the increase in the number of students who will take the exams this year, the school education department has increased the number of invigilators and staff assigned on examination duty. There will be 6,402 invigilators, 937 additional officials and 94,850 members of the flying squad on duty this year. 

The minister said that the government would ensure that the entire process is carried out smoothly and guidance would be given to those who speak 

other languages. 

Reiterating his earlier statement that the government would provide the students with insurance, the minister clarified that there would be no tie up with insurance firms but the government would disburse Rs 1 lakh in the event of a student’s death while Rs 50,000 would be compensated for serious injury and Rs 25,000 for minor injuries and hosptalisation.

“The money will be handed over either by the district collector, chief examination officer or other senior district officials within 48 hours,” he said. 

Talking about the schemes to improve school education, Sengottaiyan said that the curriculum for Classes 1, 6, 9 and 11 would be changed first. “We are confident of implementing the change in curriculum in two years. This will make TN syllabus better than CBSE,” he said.