Kerala state: SSLC, Plus Two exams to continue as planned following COVID protocol

The SSLC, Plus Two Higher Secondary, and Vocational Higher Secondary Examinations in the State will continue in strict compliance with COVID-19 protocols.

The examinations are being conducted as per guidelines containing COVID-19 safety protocols issued to education officers and chief superintendents, a statement from the Director of General Education here on Monday said.

Arrangements have been made for students to appear for the examinations maintaining physical distancing. Directive have been issue to ensure that teaching and non-teaching staff at the examination centres wore triple layer masks and students also wore such masks to the maximum extent possible.

Students will be allowed inside school compounds only after their body temperature is scanned using infra-red thermometers and soaps and sanitisers have been made available at every exam centre.

Steps are in place to specially receive answer scripts of students who are COVID-19 positive and sent these to valuation camps. Schools have made arrangements to seat separately students who are COVID-19 positive, those in quarantine, and those with high body temperatures.

Principals have been asked to make travel arrangements for children to reach the exam centres. Halls will be sanitised after each examination.

Monitoring teams of education officials formed at State, revenue district, and education district-levels are reviewing the guidelines being implemented in each school and provide necessary recommendations and support to the chief superintendents. Besides this, presence of health workers, voluntary organisations, parent-teacher associations, and school management committees has been ensured in each exam centre, the statement said.

Four SSLC papers remain to be conducted, as also Plus Two examinations scheduled for four days. The SSLC examinations will conclude on April 29, while the Plus Two and Vocational Higher Secondary examinations will conclude on April 26.

There has been demand from many quarters to postpone the SSLC and Plus Two examinations in the wake of the second wave of COVID-19 transmission in the State.

Moreover, there were practical problems involved in the postponement since the examinations were also being held in the Gulf region and Lakshadweep. Unlike Central or other State boards where examinations were yet to begin, examinations in Kerala were already under way, they pointed out.