SSLC exam in July third week

Bengaluru: Ending days of confusion and speculations over the conduct of  II PUC and SSLC exams of State Board amid the COVID crisis, Primary and Secondary Education Minister S. Suresh Kumar said that there will be no exam for II PUC students of Karnataka and the SSLC exam of State Board will be held in the third week of July.

Addressing a press meet at Bengaluru this morning, Suresh Kumar said, “In view of the COVID-19 crisis, the Government has decided not to hold the II PU exam-2021.”

However, we are going ahead with the conduct of exam for SSLC (Class 10) students of State Board  in the third week of July, after assessing the COVID situation and in consultation with experts. The SSLC students will be examined for their performance in a different format, the Minister said.

Pointing out that the decision to scrap second PUC exam was taken after receiving feedback from all stakeholders as some wanted the exam while others did not want, he said that the SSLC exam to take place in third week of July, would have two papers — one on language and the other on Science, Maths and Social Sciences with multiple-choice questions format.

Maintaining that the SSLC Board will announce the exam dates 20 days before the exam, Suresh Kumar said that any student found COVID positive and unable to write the exam, will be given another chance as a fresher only.

Noting that in all, about 6,000 centres have been marked to conduct SSLC exam in the State, he said that only one student will be allotted for a desk and wearing of face mask is mandatory. He also clarified that if the COVID third wave strikes in the middle of SSLC exam, then the Government will immediately take an appropriate  decision.

Coming back to second PUC, the Minister said that all students will be promoted and would be graded based on the basis of First PU exam results. The guidelines and format on grade and other details will be issued by the PU Board soon, he added. 

The Karnataka Government had announced the dates of 2nd PUC and SSLC exams in Mar-April, but was postponed twice, due to the surge in COVID .

It may be mentioned here that PM Modi while announcing the decision to cancel CBSE and ICSE Class 12 exams earlier this week, had asked the State Governments to be sympathetic towards students in the wake of COVID crisis, following which many States decided to cancel Class 12 Board exams.