PUNE On the first day of the Class 12 written examinations, thousands of students appeared for the offline exams after a gap of two years. This is the first board exam of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) to be conducted offline since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. While students who appeared for the examination were excited to return to examination centres after a long time, junior colleges welcomed them at these centres after taking all Covid-19 safety precautions.
Prajakta Joshi, a Class 12 student, said, “My first paper was scheduled at 10.30 am on Friday and we reached the college an hour before as we were told entry will be given 30 minutes prior to the exam. Accordingly, the bell rang at 9.50 am and after complete thermal checking and taking all necessary Covid-19 safety precautions, we were allowed to enter the examination hall. There was a lot of excitement to appear for the offline examination as most of our studies and earlier exams in the last two years have been in the online mode.”
As Friday was the first day of the exam, it was the ‘English’ subject common paper for all students scheduled between 10.30am and 2pm. There was a heavy rush of students since Friday morning at all prominent colleges in Pune and other junior colleges. The offline written HSC exam will be held from March 4 to April 30, for which 14.85 lakh students have enrolled their names. There are two exam slots; the first between 10.30am and 2pm, and the second between 3pm and 6.30pm. This year, the state government has decided to give 30 minutes extra time to students considering the online teaching mode and that students are appearing for the written exam after a yawning gap.
Another student Mandar Rathi said, “We are happy that our board examination is being conducted in the offline mode and that students are being given a chance to appear for the exam this academic year. Last year, students were passed according to their earlier marks and internal marks but this time, we have the opportunity to score good marks. Now going forward, all exams should be held offline as things are changing and the Covid pandemic will hopefully end soon.”
{{/usCountry}}Another student Mandar Rathi said, “We are happy that our board examination is being conducted in the offline mode and that students are being given a chance to appear for the exam this academic year. Last year, students were passed according to their earlier marks and internal marks but this time, we have the opportunity to score good marks. Now going forward, all exams should be held offline as things are changing and the Covid pandemic will hopefully end soon.”
{{/usCountry}}Professor Ravindrasinh Pardeshi, principal, Fergusson college, said, “We have made all necessary arrangements at our college for students appearing for the HSC board exams on Friday as it is their first day of exams. All classrooms and benches have been sanitised twice and each bench will be occupied by only one student. Only after carrying out thermal checking and maintaining social distancing were students sent to the examination hall half-an-hour before the exam. There are four exam centres in our college, and we are fully prepared for further scheduled exams.”