PANJIM: School and higher secondary students will have to wait for another academic year to avail the benefits of cultural merit marks. The delay in finalising the State cultural policy, on which the allotment of merit marks was to be based, has dragged the introduction of cultural merit marks to the academic year 2020-21.

The allotment of cultural marks was conceptualised on the lines of sports merit marks allotted to students, which several students are benefiting, especially at the Board examinations.

Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE) has cautioned the government that any haste in finalising the policy for implementation for the academic year 2019-20 is not advisable.

Speaking to Herald, Board chairman Ramakrishna Samant said the State Cultural Policy, which is to be prepared by Directorate of Art and Culture, is still in drafting stage. “Once it is prepared, the same has to get the Minister’s approval, cabinet nod and needs to be notified before implementing it,” he said.

“Also, the Board’s committees, like the academic council, will have to finalise the process to be followed for the allotment of marks. Everything just cannot happen like that,” he said, and added, “It is unlikely that the cultural marks would be introduced from the coming academic year. We may be in position to do it only in the academic year 2020-21 onwards.”

Speaking about the marks allotment processes that could be considered under the policy, the Chairman said that student’s performance at taluka, district, state and national level would be considered. “We can also take into account their international platform performance,” he said.

“The policy also needs cabinet approval,” sources said.