HSC board changes exam schedule

MUMBAI, JUNE 2: The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education has changed the examination schedule for the Seco...

MUMBAI, JUNE 2: The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education has changed the examination schedule for the Secondary School Certificate and Higher Secondary Certificate examinations by making them commence about eight days prior to the dates as per the current schedule. While the HSC theory exams will henceforth be held in the second fortnight of February, the practical examination will be conducted after the theory exams, in the first week of March.

The SSC theory exams will be held in the first week of March while the practical exams will be conducted before the theory exams, in the last week of February, according to a press statement issued by the board.

Secretary of the Mumbai Divisional Board, A D Dixit, said the board will dispatch a notification along with the HSC results to all city schools on Saturday.

Students Express Newsline spoke to wondered whether these changes would mean that the academic year would be advanced as well. However, Minister of State for Education, Anil Deshmukh, said: 8220;The exam schedule has been advanced only by eight days. The academic year ends on January 31 while practicals start in February. How does it affect them?8221;

While board officials say principals were consulted, the latter vehemently deny this. 8220;We can only decide on its applicability once we receive the notification as it will effect major changes in planning the year8217;s calendar,8221; said one principal.

Says Principal M P Sharma of G D Somani School, Cuffe Parade: 8220;Yes, the board should have consulted us as the decision would necessitate a total revamping of our academic calendar. It will also affect a whole lot of extra-curricular activities.8221;

Sources in the board say the decision has been taken to ensure that teachers are available for assessment and that results can be announced eariler than at present. Also, students who want to join other courses or take competitive examinations would have sufficient time at their disposal.

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However, vice-president of the Maharashtra Federation of Junior College Teachers Organisation, M R Andhalkar, points out that teachers are available for assessment in any case. 8220;In fact, we have already given a memorandum to the government requesting that teachers should not be given any other work during assessment, which is expected to be completed within a week. 8220;As for teachers who delay assessment, the board should be given the power to make them answerable. At present, teachers are answerable only to the deputy director of education,8221; Andhalkar said.

In fact, he points out, the board can announce the HSC and SSC results earlier within the existing time-table. 8220;This year, assessment of the Science paper was completed by April-end. Still, the board will announce the result only in June. Besides, with computerisation, things should further speed up. Announcing results should not take more than a month from the date of the last examination vis-a-vis the current two months,8221; he adds.

Students were undecided over the change. Vittesh M Andhalkar, who has just taken the SSC exam, feels that conducting the practical exam before the theory papers would definitely help. 8220;The tendency is if practicals are after the theory papers, once theory is over, students lose touch with the curriculum. But that apart, the rescheduling will hardly help students, rather it will curtail their study period.8221; Satyajit Avhad, who will give the HSC exam next year, does not feel it will make much of a difference.