PANJIM: Following directions from Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, the Directorate of Education (DoE) has permitted the students of Class IX and Class XI to answer their final examination for the academic year 2020-21 in written format from their residence.
At present, the students from Class I to VIII are permitted to answer the exams from home; with written format for Class III to VIII.
Considering the prevailing COVID-19 condition in the State, the Chief Minister had directed the DoE to issue new guidelines for conducting examination for students from Class IX to XII in offline mode.
Speaking to HERALD, DoE Director D R Bhagat confirmed to have received directions to set new guidelines for conduct of exams.
“The students of Class IX and XI are permitted to answer their exams from their residence but in written format as we had permitted till Class VIII. It won’t be online examination,” Bhagat said.
In the Circular issued to all schools, Bhagat said that in the partial modification issued on January 7, the examination of Class IX and XI should be conducted by allowing the students to answer from their residence, in the same manner as for Class upto VIII.
The exams for Class I and II are or were conducted as per the guidelines issued by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT).
It was earlier decided to hold examinations from Class IX to XI in offline mode, that is with physical presence of students in school and accordingly some schools even held the exams.
Annually, the academic year for students of Class I to IX and XI end by April 30 with the declaration of the results. However, this year, to ensure that there is no academic loss to students, DoE has asked the schools to conclude conduct of examination for these Classes by May 7.
Meanwhile, the 2020-21 Board exams of Class XII and Class X will be held as per schedule via an offline mode only.
As per the dates announced by the Goa Board, the exams for the Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) will be held from April 24 to May 17, while the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams will be between May 19 and June 2.
