In the wake of rising cases of coronavirus in State, the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) has decided to conduct SSC (Class X) and HSC (Class XII) examinations on ‘My School, My Centre’ basis. It means the students will write examinations at their own institution. While SSC examination will be held between April 29 and May 20, 2021, HSC examinations will be conducted from April 23 to May 21, 2021. There was an issue regarding holding the SSC and HSC examinations off-line as the authorities thought it would invite the violation of physical distancing norms. Secondly, unlike other agencies, the State Board doesn’t have the mechanism to hold examinations on-line.

 

After lot of deliberations, finally, Maharashtra Minister of Education Varsha Gaikwad has made an announcement where the responsibility of conducting examinations has been bestowed upon the institutions. The students would not have to go at other centres as the practice continued. They would go to their own institutions and write the examinations. The Board has made it clear that in an exceptional case where classrooms would fall short, the arrangement of the students would be made in the neighbourhood schools. Usually Board allots 3 hours time to solve 80-marks paper. But this year, the students did not have much writing practice so the Board has increased the examination time by half an hour (3 hr 30 min) for 80 marks paper. For 40 or 50 marks paper the time has increased by 15 minutes. Every year the practical examinations of Class X are conducted. But this year, due COVID-19 pandemic, the assignment would be given as home work. Special writing work as home work would by students will be submitted between May 21 and July 10. Similarly, for Class 12, the Assignment submission will take place between May 22 and June 10 after their written examinations. Due to Covid-19 pandemic, the educational institutions remained closed since the commencement of the new academic session. The institutions were allowed to function for some days in 2021 during that period some 5-6 practicals of Science stream were held.

 

As students did not have much practice of practicals, their examinations would be held on the basis of only those many practicals. Arts and Commerce students have to submit their assignments within 15 days of their main examination. Special exam for those failing to appear The Board will hold a special examination in June for the students who fail to appear due to several reasons related to COVID-19 pandemic. More details about the examination will be provided later. Supplementary exams in July-August The Supplementary examination for SSC as well as HSC will be conducted in July-August. The examination centres will be identified at some places in city and in rural part. Safety measures Considering the COVID-19 situation, the Government will issue independent guidelines regarding examinations for institutions, centre head supervisor. Central Government and State Government will issue separate guidelines regarding COVID-19. The Board has asked students and their parents to consider the information displayed on the official website of the Board to be right. They should not believe in any other information.

The Board will allow extra 15 days for submission of assignments for those students who or their relatives test positive for COVID-19 or they face any problem of containment zone or curfew or any other issue related to pandemic.