Class 10 students may be asked to come with masks, sanitisers

More than nine lakh SSLC students, including 3.5 lakh candidates from government and government-aided schools across the State, will be appearing for the exam, which starts from June 1 and ends on June 12.

A senior official from the Directorate of School Education Department told DT Next that it will be mandatory for the students, who come for the exam centres, to wear face masks in a bid to prevent the spreading of coronavirus.

“However, since the face masks will not be provided by the government at the exam centres, students should have to get it on their own,” he added.

He said the authorities would not be in a position to distribute face masks even to 3.5 lakh students in government schools, who would be appearing for the exams this year.

“For supplying face masks to students studying in the State-run schools, the School Education Department has to procure a minimum 15 lakh face masks that could be supplied on a daily basis for at least five exam dates.”

Pointing out that providing hand sanitisers to each student at the entrance of the exam centre will also be difficult, he however, said that each centre would have soap and water facilities for hand wash.

On the availability of special bus service, the official said vehicle would not be available for all the nine lakh students, who will appear for the exams.

“It will be made available only for the needy students, who should inform their respective schools so that the management of the institutions will intimate the government to provide transportation to them accordingly.”

Claiming that the transportation will not be available at the doorsteps of students, who had registered for it, the official said that vehicle’s pickup will be at the nearest point from the resident of the students and the drop would be at the same junction.

Minister for School Education, Youth Welfare and Sports Development, KA Sengottaiyan on Thursday said that the government would issue a statement on May 19 over the efforts taken to resolve transportation issues for Class 10 students.

The School Education Department had announced recently that Class 10 board exams, which were cancelled due to COVID-19 spread, would be conducted from June 1. The conduct of exams on short notice, amid pandemic scare and lack of transportation raised opposition from various political parties, teachers and parents. Many students also expressed apprehension over returning to their place of study due to lack of public transport.

“Many students are staying in their relatives’ houses in other districts and are unable to come back to their native place. The government will consider this issue and the Chief Minister will issue a clear statement in this regard after discussions. The CM had instructed the district collectors to ensure safe transportation of students to examination centres and their houses,” he said to media, while participating in a function to provide free rice to poor people.  He also said that the government announced the schedule for Class 10 exams only after holding discussions with experts and considering the welfare of the student’s community. “States like Gujarat and Kerala have even begun evaluations,” he said.