UP Board evaluation process could take more than 10 days

With stress on maintaining social distancing in all walks of life to keep COVID-19 spread in check, the UP Board’s evaluation process is expected to extend well beyond the earlier fixed 10 days.

With stress on maintaining social distancing in all walks of life to keep COVID-19 spread in check, the UP Board’s evaluation process is expected to extend well beyond the earlier fixed 10 days.

Board officials believe that undertaking the evaluation process— that could well start from April 25 if the government gives its go ahead —by ensuring 2 metre distance between evaluators at all evaluation centers, the process could take anywhere between 15 to 20 days.

Though tightlipped on any matter related to evaluation process as they await instructions from the state government, the officials said preparations were in place to start off the evaluation process from April 25 if the green signal comes from the state government.

From April 20, the UP Board headquarters and regional offices witnessed one third of the staff and officials reporting for work after a long gap.

“At the moment all I can say is that we have made our offices functional with limited staff as per norm,” said UP Board secretary Neena Srivastava.

The answer-sheets of class 10 and class 12 board exams held earlier this year and been sent to different districts are stored in strong rooms. In all 275 evaluation centres spread across the state have been made.

“To ensure social distancing, we may be able to call lesser number of evaluators in a shift,” said a senior UP Board official. But we still hope to declare the results by June second week, he added.

Another challenge in the evaluation process staring the board officials in the face is the fact that in many of the districts where the evaluation is to be held has been hit hard by COVID-19. As a result before ordering the start of the evaluation process, state of affairs in districts like Agra, Lucknow, Noida, Saharanpur and Moradabad etc would need to be done, said officials.