Hyderabad: The Telangana state government is likely to cancel the SSC and the Intermediate public exams this year, as was done last year on several grounds.
These grounds were of fewer working days, incomplete syllabus and poor attendance of students after schools were reopened in February. The schools were reopened in February after the 10-month lockdown and a closure of all educational institutions from March 24.
As per schedule, the inter theory exams should be held from May 1 to 19 and SSC exams from May 17 to 26.
During the meeting held by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao
and education minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy on Tuesday to take a call on the closure of institutions, the Inter Board officials expressed the view that the situation was not conducive to holding the inter-ethics exam on April 1, environmental exam on April 3 and inter practical exams from April 7.
The SSC board officials pointed out that only formative assessment-1 (school-level exams) has been completed till date and it was not possible to hold SSC public exams. This fueled doubts over the fate of Inter, SSC public exams this year.
For inter students, ethics and environmental exams are mandatory. With closure of all institutions from March 24, the chances of holding these exams, which are just a week away, look remote.
Official sources said that the Tamil Nadu government had already announced the cancellation of SSC and Inter exams, citing corona pandemic, and the Telangana government too is considering this proposal seriously.
While ordering closure of all educational institutions from March 24, the state government cited states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh etc to justify its decision.
Officials say if exams are held as scheduled under these circumstances, the students in government schools and junior colleges will be worst-hit, while students in private institutions will have the advantage.
This is because the syllabus in private institutions was completed by conducting online classes, while the syllabus in government institutions was not completed even to the extent of 50 per cent due to the delay in launching online classes and lack of access to online education to students from disadvantaged sections of the society.
Officials say the current conditions do not ensure a 'level playing field' for government and private students if public exams are conducted by taking into consideration just 40 days of classroom teaching in the entire academic year (2020-21) so far.
Officials say conducting public exams would be possible only if the government permits classroom teaching at least for SSC and Inter students till the April fourth week.
