Class 10, 12 board exams: With govt schools bursting at the seams, non-board classes told to stay home in Ludhiana

Some schools in Ludhiana are taking classes on alternate days or on days when board exams are not scheduled, while others have asked regular students to stay at home for the duration of the board exams

With the date sheets for the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) Class 10 and 12 exams clashing, government schools, which are already bursting at the seams, have asked non-board classes to stay at home.

A Government Senior Secondary School teacher, Ludhiana, requesting anonymity, said, “We have a tough time accommodating regular students on days when both Class 10 and 12 students appear for their board examinations. We are already holding double shifts, and thus have directed a few classes to stay at home.” (HT FILE)

Some schools are taking classes on alternate days or on days when board exams are not scheduled, while others have asked regular students to stay at home for the duration of the board exams.

A Government Senior Secondary School teacher, requesting anonymity, said, “We have a tough time accommodating regular students on days when both Class 10 and 12 students appear for their board examinations. We are already holding double shifts, and thus have directed a few classes to stay at home.”

Principals are also having a tough time running schools in the absence of teachers as most of them have been allocated exam duties by the PSEB, block nodal officers or district education officer. “Even if we were to call students to schools, we do not have enough teachers on campus. Most teachers at my school have been deputed to far off examination centres, and only four teachers remain at school. Students only come to school for their mid-day meals. The state government should immediately recruit more teachers at schools struggling due to a staff crunch,” the headmaster of a Government High School said, on condition of anonymity.

While the education department has directed government schools to increase enrolment, they are yet to augment the infrastructure, in the absence of which students are often spotted sitting on the hard floors.

A senior official at the education department said, “Issues pertaining to infrastructure and date sheet fall in the purview of the PSEB and education ministry. There is not much we can do in administrative matters.”