The results of the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examinations are likely to be announced in the first week of August, Karnataka's Education Minister S Suresh Kumar said on Monday.
The announcement came after the minister visited five evaluation centres in Bengaluru. "In 10 days by 30 July, we want to complete the evaluations and we plan to announce the results towards the end of the first week of August," Suresh Kumar said after visiting the centres.
He said that the evaluation of the answer sheets are set to take another 10-12 days. Currently, evaluations of the answer sheets are taking place at 220 centres in the state and Suresh Kumar said that in as many as 120 centres, the process had been completed.
The evaluation was delayed in districts like Bengaluru due to the lockdown imposed over the outbreak of COVID-19 cases from 8 pm on July 14 to 5 am on July 22.
"Due to the lockdown imposed, there was a delay in starting evaluation for 3-4 days. Only 45 evaluators are coming to these centres at the moment but it is being carried out in a safe and healthy manner. We expect the evaluation process to be completed in 180 centres by the end of this week," Suresh Kumar added.
Around 8.45 lakh students registered to write the examinations in Karnataka. It was held from June 25 to July 3 amid restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students were asked to wear masks and maintain distancing at the examination centres.
The education department allowed students from containment zones and students with COVID-19 symptoms to write the examinations. Thirty-two students who registered for the examinations tested positive for coronavirus but Education Minister Suresh Kumar has clarified that most students did not attend the examinations.