State board begins offline practical exams for Class 10,12

Amid increasing spread of coronavirus infection, the Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) on Tuesday started practical examinations in offline mode for classes 10 and 12 board examinees

Amid increasing spread of coronavirus infection, the Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) on Tuesday started practical examinations in offline mode for classes 10 and 12 board examinees. However, Ranchi University postponed its offline semester examinations for undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students in light of spike in Covid-19 cases, officials said on Tuesday.

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One of the university colleges Marwari College was scheduled to conduct UG and PG semester examinations from April 7. However, it cancelled offline examinations and will conduct them in online mode. Its principal UC Mehta said, “In view of rising cases of Covid-19, we have postponed offline semester examinations for UG and PG students. The examinations were scheduled from April 7. Now, the examination will be conducted online. The fresh examination date will be declared in a day or two.”

Public relation officer (PRO) of Ranchi University PK Jha said, “In a meeting of the university’s Covid-19 cell on Tuesday, it was decided to resume online classes till further notice.”

Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University, Ranchi, has postponed offline classes till April 17.

JAC officials, however, said they started practical examinations for students of classes 10 and 12 with precautions. “In light of Covid-19, practical examinations will be conducted over a period of 22 days in different sittings depending upon infrastructure of schools. Only 15 students will be allowed to enter the centre in one sitting. A school can conduct maximum three sittings in a day,” said JAC secretary Mahip Kumar Singh.

The written examinations for classes 10 and 12 will take place from May 4 to 21. More than 4.31 students were expected to take the matric examinations, while over 3.32 students will take intermediate examinations. The examinations will be conducted in 2,100 centres, JAC officials said.

Meanwhile, escalating Covid-19 cases in schools posed a major concern for school managements. Positive cases were reported in at least five schools of Ranchi city on Tuesday.

Around 14 students were reportedly found infected with Covid-19 in two government schools, while 10 cases, including teachers, were detected in three private schools.

However, most of the schools lodged complaints that they were not being informed by the administration about positive cases coming out of schools.

Principal of Ranchi Zila School, Manjula Ekka said, “I have not received any official communication from the district administration in this regard. But, some of the students telephonically informed us that they have received phone calls from the administration saying they have tested positive for Covid-19. So far, six students from class 10, one from class 8 and one from class 12 informed that they have tested positive.”

She said “A Covid-19 test drive was conducted in my school on March 31, where samples of 94 people, including teachers and non-teaching staff, were taken. Administration should inform us about the development, as we have to initiate steps accordingly.”

Similarly, principal of Marwari School, Monica Mondal, said, “Covid-19 test was also conducted in my school on March 31. But, we have not received any information about reports till date. We are hearing that some students tested positive through word of mouth. Administration should inform us immediately.”

When district superintendent of education (DSE) Mangla Singh was contacted, he said they were only facilitating the tests in schools. “Only administration can tell about outcome of the test report,” he said.