Over 8L kids to sit for Class 11 boards braving virus fears

Examinations were on, stated Sigy Thomas Vaidhyan, Commissioner of School Education, in a text message. Thus, Class 12 examination scheduled for Tuesday is also likely to be conducted as planned.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the government’s decision to not cancel examinations amid the looming threat of coronavirus infection, the students’ parents and teachers had also urged the authorities to postpone the board examinations as was done for Class 10 students. Many parents are concerned over sending their children.

A senior official from the Directorate of Examinations told DT Next that more than eight lakh Class 11 students from the Science, Commerce, Arts and Vocational streams will be appearing for board examination on Monday. The respective stream subject papers include Biology, History, Business Mathematics and Statistics, Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Automobile Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Textile Technology, Office Management, and Secretaryship.

“The last examination for Class 11 in subjects such as Chemistry, Accountancy and Geography will be held on March 26,” the official added.

Similarly, more than eight lakh Class 12 students will be appearing for Chemistry, Accountancy and Geography papers on Tuesday.

While welcoming Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami’s decision to postpone SSLC exams beyond April 14 due to coronavirus scare, Tamil Nadu Teachers Association president PK Ilamaran opposed the government’s plan to go ahead with the board examinations for Class 11 and Class 12. He said it would create severe stress not only for the students taking the examinations but also for the parents, who are gripped by COVID-19 fear.

Seeking the government to immediately postpone the remaining examinations for both Class 11 and Class 12 as was done in the case of SSLC, he said even parents would be under pressure and be afraid to send their children for the examination even though the government had assured that all precautionary measures were taken in the centres to ensure their safety.

Illamaran also claimed that the teachers’ body has received thousands of requests from parents to urge the government to postpone the examinations considering the safety of the children.