Kolkata: Uncertainty continues for state board class 10 and 12 students as Madhyamik and Higher Secondary dates remain unannounced, though the selection tests for the board exams are scheduled to start on Tuesday. The final dates are likely to be declared next week.State-run schools are getting ready to begin the test exams for candidates of Madhyamik as well as Higher Secondary fourth-semester from Nov 17.The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education and West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education are yet to finalise the dates for the board classes 10 and 12 board exams, given that schoolteachers were likely to be still on census duty in Feb. The tentative dates so far are in March. The census duty for teachers translates into another problem—that of checking answer scripts even for selection tests. The headmaster of a school pointed out that they were going ahead with the schedule for the selection tests though they were flooded with queries from students, concerned about the schedule for the final board exams. “Initially, we thought that the dates for the selection tests would be pushed back, given the possibility of the corporation elections being held around this time. But now, while selection dates remain undisturbed, the bigger concern is the evaluation of those answer scripts as many of our teachers will be assigned to census duty.”Another school head said, “This is another year of multiple challenges. Last year, most of our teachers were busy with SIR duties, and we had to balance exams and classes. We will have to face a similar situation this time, too.”CBSE and CISCE have already declared their exam dates—both will start their exams in Feb—and if the state board and council begin theirs in March, there are concerns about these candidates during college admission. The school education department is now reviewing the Madhyamik and Higher Secondary fourth-semester dates proposed by the respective board and council.
