24 May 2020  |   05:28am IST

Printing mistake gives start to regular papers of SSC exams

Board says it is looking into error; Over 19k appear for English paper

Team Herald

PANJIM: The regular papers of the SSC exams of the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary began on Saturday with a printing error in the English paper.

Students said the error was in question number six. “The question read: ‘Answer any of the following in 50 words each for 6 marks’ but didn’t specify how many had to be answered. The question should have been answer any two from total five questions,” students told Herald on condition of anonymity.

Board chairman Ramakrishna Samant admitted the printing error and said he is looking into the matter. “Yes, there was printing error in one of the question, which had six marks. We would be putting up the matter before the Board Scrutiny Committee, which will take the final call on whether to grant those marks to students or not,” Samant said.

Meanwhile, over 19,200 Class X students appeared for the English language paper on Saturday.

The examination, conducted across 29 centers, saw schools adhering to norms like physical distancing, hand sanitising, wearing of face masks and thermal scanning of each student, supervisors and volunteers.

Nearly 3,100 volunteers and teachers were roped in to assist the candidates to reach their blocks as well as to ensure that lockdown norms are followed. Proper physical distancing was also maintained in classrooms, with 10-12 students in each.

Free water bottles, hand sanitisers and masks were provided to students in the examination hall in case of need.

Bal Rath and KTCL buses were in service to provide pick up and drop service to the students, though most preferred to come in private vehicles accompanied by parents. No parents were permitted in the vicinity of 200 meters of the exam centres.

The students will answer their next paper mathematics on May 26. On May 27, language paper II and on May 28 language paper III will be held. On May 29, history and on May 30 geography have been scheduled. The main examination will conclude with science paper on June 1, which will be followed by other vocational papers till June 6.