* AASU lays stress on the safety of students, no loss of the academic year
STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Assam Higher Secondary (HS) and High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) examinations are likely to be held between August 1 and 15, and the results could be declared by September 5, State Education Minister Dr. Ranoj Pegu said on Tuesday after a meeting with all stakeholders.
"The Health Department has made it clear that the HS and HSLC examinations cannot be held in July because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The situation is improving slowly, but not conducive enough to hold examinations in July. Therefore, after due consultation, we're contemplating holding the examinations between August 1 and 15. The results are expected by September 5. We're keeping in touch with the Central Government and the CBSE (Central Board of Secondary education) in this regard," the Minister said.
The holding of Assam HS and HSLC examinations were discussed at the meeting among the AASU (All Assam Students' Union), ABSU (All Bodo Students' Union), the AXX (Exam Xahitya Xabha), officials of the Education, Transport, SEBA (Board of Secondary Education, Assam), AHSEC (Assam Higher Secondary Education Council), Health department and the deputy commissioners of Kamrup (Metro), Nagaon and Morigaon districts with the Education Minister.
The Minister said that the final decision on the dates for the examinations would be fixed after discussing the matter with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Minister Pegu further said that the examinations are likely to be held with a reduced number of subjects and reduced total marks. The modalities of the examinations will be finalized within seven to ten days. A separate SOP (standard operating procedure) would be issued ahead of the examinations. All staffers related to the examinations will have to be vaccinated.
After the meeting, AASU's chief advisor Samujjal Bhattacharjya said, "We asked the government during the meeting that if there was any mechanism to promote the students without holding HS and HSLC examinations in line with the CBSE and some other States. The government side made it clear that there is no such mechanism in the State. Examinations are a must when normalcy returns. We've no objections against examinations. We want the government to ensure three conditions – students' health safety, no loss of any academic year and a student-centric examination modality.
"We've suggested a formula for the HSLC examinations – the examinations could be held in three subjects and the highest marks scored among the three subjects should be taken as the score for each of the other three subjects. Regarding the HS examinations, the ASHEC has told us at the meeting that they're preparing a formula for holding the examinations and will take us into confidence at a meeting shortly. Whatever modalities are taken for both the examinations, that should be made known to the students within ten days to let them get the clear picture."
AASU president Dipanka Kumar Nath and general secretary Sankor Jyoti Baruah, ABSU president Dipen Boro and the representatives of the other stakeholders were also present at the meeting.
Dipen Bora appealed to the students to get ready as today's meeting made it clear for holding the examinations.