Confusion reigns supreme about SSC, HSC results, XI admissions

By Vikas Vaidya :

With Universities in State postponing examinations every after 15 days following the extension of lockdown by Governments, confusion reigned supreme about results of SSC, HSC examinations. When the admission process of Class XI would begin? Will admission process for the professional courses after HSC would take place in time? Answer to all these questions is ‘Nobody knows it, nobody can tell’ HSC examinations were conducted as per its timetable but just before the Geography paper lockdown was announced. Meanwhile Government cancelled examinations of Class I to VIII.

A long period passed and finally Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad announced the cancellation of Geography and Work System along with examinations of Class IX and XI. Fortunately Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education that conducts SSC and HSC examinations starts valuation immediately after the end of every paper. Accordingly, now valuation of almost all papers, except History is almost completed.

Deputy Director of Amravati Division Anil Pardhi and Divisional Chairman of Nagpur Divisional Board Ravikant Deshpande both said, “The valuation of all the subjects is almost completed. As far as Geography is concerned, we are supposed to take out average and on the basis of which marks are to be given. It will be done. We gave answersheets to teachers and allowed them to take them to their homes. They did the work of valuation at home. Now the real issue we are facing is, how to collect those answersheets or results as gathering of more than 4 persons would violate the norms of social distancing.” Letter sent by Education department to Commissioner (Education) clearly says, schools are not to be opened after April 14. Students of class IX and XI should be promoted on the basis of their marks in term examinations, practicals etc. Board should use its prudence while allotting marks in Geography of SSC.

The most important thing highlighted in the letter is about providing answersheets to valuers. Letter makes it clear, “Due to lockdown the papers can’t be given to valuers. The decision of handing over the answersheets or collecting the already done answersheets would be taken after lockdown gets relaxed.” There was one on-line meeting held about conducting Centralised Admission Process for Class XI which would be on-line. But meeting could not come to any final decision about when and in what way the admission process for Class XI would be conducted.

Admissions to diploma engineering courses too would come to standstill. Same is the situation of valuation of HSC examination. The decision-makers are confused about when the process of admission to several professional courses would begin. According to one ex-Vice Chancellor, probably all the admission process may get postponed to winter. It is likely to bring paradigm shift in the academic session. Process of admissions to courses like engineering, MBA, MBBS are in trouble. Usually these admission processes go beyond September. But the way corona cases are rising, nobody is sure whether the lockdown would really end by June. In that case it may pave the path to have January to December session in our country. At this juncture confusion reigned supreme.