The HP Board of School Education today decided to make it mandatory for all foreign students and students passing examinations from other states to get their certificates verified from the Board authorities before applying for admission to higher educational institutions in the state. This has been done to avoid the controversy regarding the equivalence of certificates with that of the Boards certificates. Besides,this would also ensure that the certificates are not forged. Moreover,the Board has decided to conduct the matriculation examination in March every year in winter closing schools along with the summer closing schools of the state. Earlier,the matriculation examination in winter closing schools were held in December every year. The Class VIII examination in winter closing schools,however, would be held in December as earlier. For the benefit of students,the Board has also decided to upgrade 115 examination centres and set up 61 new centres. These decisions were taken at a meeting of Board of Directors (BoD) of the education Board on Wednesday. In another decision,the BoD okayed the Punjabi syllabus for Classes VI,VII and VIII. Punjabi has been introduced as an optional subject in some schools. The Board has also relaxed the age criterion for mentally challenged students for Classes VIII and X. The pass percentage for them is 25 per cent and they have to qualify in only five subjects prescribed by the Board. It has also been decided to extend the facility of medical reimbursement to retired employees and pensioners.
