Reporter’s diary: Classes 5, 8 board exams confuse officials and students alike

Contradictory statements by School Education Minister KA Sengottaiyan over the issue has bewildered the authorities even more. 

Soon after the draft education policy was released by the Centre a few months ago, the Minister categorically denied that there will not be any board exams for Classes 5 and 8 this year as, according to him, the State has secured three years’ grace time from the Centre. 

However, a few weeks later, the Directorate of School Education issued an order that there will be board exams for students from this academic year onwards. Regarding that, Sengottaiyan said that the results will not be published and all students studying in Classes 5 and 8 will be promoted. This statement left many wondering what is the point of the exercise? 

A little probing of a senior official revealed that the Centre rejected the State’s request for three years exemption and the authorities were forced to issue the GO to conduct the exams.  In his latest Twitter message, Sengottaiyan said that the State government will approach the Centre again for three-year time, which created further confusion among the officials, who are already preparing for the exams. “At present we are doing our duty to conduct exams. As we are still confused, we have to wait and see,” the official said.