The Karnataka government on Monday, June 28, said that the upcoming Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examination will be held from July 19. Karnataka Education Minister S Suresh Kumar, who was announcing the dates, said that the examination of core subjects— Mathematics, Science and Social Science — will be held on July 19 and the examination on languages will be held on July 22.
“The examination will be held between 10.30 am to 1.30 pm,” the Minister said. The Minister added if a student has contracted COVID-19 and wishes to appear for the examination, they can do so from the nearest COVID-19 Care Centre. Meanwhile, students will also be given an opportunity to write the examination later. They will be treated as freshers, said the Minister.
The Karnataka government had earlier said that the SSLC exams will not be cancelled but had announced a change of the examination pattern. The Minister further said that students who have moved cities with their parents will be allowed to appear for the examinations from an examination centre located near their place of residence.
“Students who have migrated with their parents due to the COVID-19 pandemic can write their examination from a centre closer to their location. The government already has data on students who migrated and the Deputy Director of Public Instruction in respective areas have been alerted who’ll further ensure these students appear for the examination,” said the minister while addressing the media in Bengaluru.
Speaking to the reporters, Kumar added that they are aiming to vaccinate the teachers who will be invigilating the exams in the next 15 days. Additionally, every examination centre will have a small health centre, where paramedical staff or ASHA workers will be stationed to monitor the health of the students. Subsequently, he added that Scouts and Guides in the state have offered to assist in ensuring COVID-19 appropriate behaviour is followed by students in the centres.
The details of the Pre-University second-year gradation system will be available from July second week, said the Minister. He also observed that from July 1, the Karnataka government will begin broadcasting lessons for the current academic year through DD Chandana. He added that lessons for classes eight, nine and 10 will be started on priority from July 1. These lessons will be available on the Diksha portal of the Karnataka government, he added.
Speaking on the reopening of schools and resuming physical classes, the Minister said that a task force consisting of members of the Technical Advisory Committee, paediatric experts and subject experts has been constituted to study how the government can approach the reopening. Further details will be shared in a couple of days, the Minister said.