No announcement on Maharashtra HSC, SSC re-exams leaves students in a lurch

Nearly three months after results of the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams were declared in Maharashtra, the state board is still yet to announce the exam schedule for repeaters leaving thousands of students in the lurch.

Nearly three months after results of the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams were declared in Maharashtra, the state board is still yet to announce the exam schedule for repeaters leaving thousands of students in the lurch.

Every year, the board conducts supplementary exams for students who fail in SSC and HSC exams. While the main examinations are conducted in March, the supplementary exams are held in July. Students who pass the supplementary exams can thus begin their first year of college the same academic year. This year however, due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the board results came out in July and August respectively and the board is yet to make an announcement on the supplementary exams. “A decision on whether the exam can be conducted and if yes how is yet to be taken,” said a board official.

In August, as per a letter sent to the secretaries of all the divisional boards, the Maharashtra State Board has proposed to hold supplementary exams from October 6 to 23. The proposed schedule for conducting class 12 exam was October 6 to 29. However with no announcement from the board yet, students have no clarity over the issue.

“I failed my SSC exams in Mathematics with just 3 marks and now wish to write the paper again. But the delay in announcing exams has led to loss of an academic year for students like me,” said Asawari Shinde, a Parel-based student. Nearly 2 lakh HSC and SSC students from the state did not clear their board exams in July this year.

Officials at the state education department did not respond to calls and messages.