The re-examinations for Classes 5 and 8 for the 2025-26 academic session is scheduled to begin on June 1. The papers for both classes will be held uniformly in the window from 10 am to 12:30 pm. However, scheduling these board re-exams during the peak of central India’s harsh summer has triggered widespread anxiety and anger among parents in the State. Local guardians have pointed out that young children will be forced to travel back home or remain outdoors after 12:30 pm, exposing them directly to peak afternoon heatwave conditions and rising temperatures. Parents Speak Out: “Our Children’s Health is at Stake” The decision has raised concerns among families who feel the timing ignores basic student safety. Parent of a Class 5 student said conducting exams in June for such young kids is completely uncalled for. By the time the paper ends at 12:30 PM, the heatwave is at its worst. Making 10-year-olds travel back home in that scorching sun is a direct health hazard. My son has to travel to a different Jan Shiksha Kendra center for his exam.

 

The physical toll on the child is high. Spending hours in a hot classroom and then travelling back in peak afternoon heat is an invitation to heatstroke said another parent of a student of class 8. One of the parent suggested that rather the exam could be conducted in much earlier hour. “The department talks about putting fans and keeping ORS packets at the centres, but why create a dangerous situation in the first place? They should have kept the timings much earlier, like 7:30 am to 10 am, so the children could reach home before the sun peaks.” Ramesh Verma (name changed), parent of a Class 5 student. Official Response: Timing is Safe When questioned about these growing safety concerns and the demands of the families, Media Incharge Amitabh Anuragi completely dismissed the apprehensions. He maintained that the allocated exam window can be executed safely, stating that the morning hours do not coincide with peak daily summer heat.

 

According to Anuragi, the 10 am to 12:30 pm slot is reasonable for conducting the evaluation without exposing the children to extreme afternoon conditions. Strict Heatwave Countermeasures Mandated Despite the official dismissal of risks, the Rajya Shiksha Kendra has directed all exam center heads to enforce strict safety arrangements to handle the heat. Under the mandatory guidelines, center authorities must arrange for cool drinking water and ensure regular water breaks for the students. Exam venues are also required to install working ceiling fans and maintain adequate stocks of Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS), Electral, or glucose packets to handle emergencies like heatstrokes or dehydration on-site. If a student’s health deteriorates, center staff must immediately transport them to the nearest health center or hospital. According to the finalised timetable for the Class 5 re-examination, the examination kicks off on Monday, June 1, with the First Language paper, which includes Hindi, English, Urdu, or Marathi.

 

This will be followed by Mathematics (or Music for visually impaired candidates) on Tuesday, June 2. On Wednesday, June 3, students will sit for their Second Language paper, which is English for Hindi, Urdu, or Marathi medium students, and Hindi for English medium students. The Environmental Studies (EVS) paper is lined up for Thursday, June 4. The evaluation cycle wraps up on Friday, June 5, with the choice of an Additional Language, including options like Hindi, Sanskrit, Urdu, Punjabi, or a Painting exam tailored specifically for hearing and speech-impaired students. Simultaneously, the examination routine for the Class 8 re-evaluation will roll out across a six-day stretch, beginning on Monday, June 1, with the First Language paper including auxiliary reading options for Hindi, English, Urdu, or Marathi.

 

On Tuesday, June 2, candidates will face the Mathematics paper, alongside a specialised Music evaluation engineered for visually impaired students. The evaluation continues on Wednesday, June 3, with the Second Language paper, testing students in English or Hindi depending on their primary medium of instruction. On Thursday, June 4, the students will be assessed in Science, followed by the Third Language paper on Friday, June 5, which offers choices among Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Gujarati, or Painting for hearing and speech-impaired candidates. The entire Class 8 assessment cycle officially concludes on Saturday, June 6, with the Social Science paper. According to the official directives, Block Resource Co-ordinators (BRCCs) must ensure that all candidates receive their admit cards through the online portal by May 25, 2026. Following the test cycle, the evaluation of answer sheets will be rushed through a strict five-day window from June 8 to June 12, 2026, at the main exam evaluation centres to ensure the timely release of final results.