Students will give their board exams in well-lit, ventilated, well-maintained exam centres free from any disturbance.
On Friday, board officials met principals and field officers to ensure that all exam centres are well maintained. A circular has also been sent out to centres to complete all construction work before the March exams and ensure that all facilities are in place.
A mishap last year, where a fan fell on a Class 10 student, has prompted the board to ensure that centres meet basic standards this year.
“A bad exam centre can affect a student’s performance. All their hard work is wasted because of an uncomfortable exam centre. For example, if there is construction work going on, then the noise can disturb them. The aim is to make the examinations more comfortable,” said Basanti Roy, divisional secretary of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education.
The board has also asked centres to check if there are adequate chairs and tables to accommodate all students. Last year, students at one centre were made to sit on chairs used by the nursery section, making it very uncomfortable.
Parents, naturally, are relieved that their children will not have to battle discomfort during the high-stress exams.
{{/usCountry}}Parents, naturally, are relieved that their children will not have to battle discomfort during the high-stress exams.
{{/usCountry}}“I have read and heard horror stories about how children got stuck in bad centres. My friend’s centre was near a cowshed and he actually fell ill because of the stench,” said Hema Parekh, whose son will be giving the Class 10 exam this year.
To ensure that the circular is followed, a team of field officers and principals will pay surprise visits to centres during exams.