Promotion for all students up to Class IX likely in Telangana

Hyderabad: The state government is seriously considering a proposal to stop offline classes and promote all students to higher classes without exams till Class IX. This is in view of the fresh rise in Covid-19 cases and the disruption caused to the academic schedule in the 2020-21 academic year.

According to official sources, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao would make an announcement on this in the Assembly on March 22.

All schools had remained closed from March 2020 until February 2021 following the Coronavirus-linked lockdown. The schools were reopened in February for students from Class VI to X as was directed by the state government.

Students were confined to their homes, attending online classes for the most part of the academic year 2020-21. The government allowed schools to conduct offline classes for Class IX and X students from February 1 and for Class VI, VII and VIII students from February 24.

However, with a fresh rise in Coronavirus cases in schools especially in government-run schools, residential schools and hostels, the government is planning to order the closure of these institutions again and promote students to higher classes.

In the previous academic year, all the students till Class XII (Intermediate) were promoted to higher classes without exams as the final exams could not be held due to the corona lockdown. This time, the government is keen on conducting board exams for SSC and Intermediate students.

The government is examining a proposal about whether to allow online or offline classes even for SSC and Inter students. As new Covid-19 cases are being reported from welfare hostels and university campuses, the government might close all these hostels.