Mumbai: Schools rejig exam dates to avoid clash with state polls

With Maharashtra assembly elections falling during exam period, many city schools have had to schedule their oral and practical exams after the vacation. Exam results will also be delayed by a few weeks.

For many school students, Diwali vacation will be spent pouring over books, preparing for oral and practical exams.

With the state assembly elections falling during exam period, many city schools have had to schedule their oral and practical exams after the vacation. Exam results will also be delayed by a few weeks.

“Our science practical exams will be conducted after Diwali vacation,” said Father Francis Swamy, manager, St Xavier’s School, Fort. “We had to do this as we are giving a three-day break between the theory exams, on account of elections.” The school also had to start their exams early, from October 1.

Similarly, Hilda Castilino School, Kandivli, will hold oral and practical assessments from November 8. “These assessments will begin immediately after the school reopens. So, students will have to prepare for them during the vacation,” said Prashant Redij, headmaster.

Some ICSE schools, which do not want exams to spill over after the vacations, have scheduled two papers per day, hoping to finish the exams in time. “Children will have to appear for two papers in one day,” said Seema Buch, principal, Gundecha Education Academy, Kandivli. “But this arrangement is only for easier subjects such as art, so that they are not over-burdened.”

Rescheduling exams will also delay semester one results. “Results will be delayed by a few weeks at least, because teachers will be able to compute oral and practical marks only after the vacation,” said Anil Bornare, a senior teacher from Swami Muktananda School.

Though schools affiliated to CBSE do not have exams clashing with the elections, some schools had to reschedule picnics planned on October 15. “Rescheduling and getting bookings again was a problem, but we managed somehow,” said Deepshikha Srivastava, principal, Rajhans Vidyalaya, Andheri.