SSLC examination 2020-21 will be held from June 21 to July 5, announced Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar on Monday. This is a week's delay from the tentative timetable announced about a month ago. The change was necessitated as the SSLC schedule clashed with the second PU exams between May 24 and June 16, Kumar said.

Last year, there was a problem in fixing the exam date although the syllabus was completed. However this year, the syllabus had to be completed, he added. Workshops will be held for headmasters in each taluk to follow best practices. Kumar will meet Block Education Officers of all districts from April 2 to oversee preparations for the examination. "Our exam centres are not battlefields but sports grounds. Students should enjoy," he told officials. 'Reopening of class 1 to 5 will take time'.

The minister said that if everything had gone according to plan, Class 1 to 5 would have started from March 1. But it has been delayed as there has been a spurt in Covid cases in Karnataka and five other states. More time is needed to decide on reopening of these grades, he added. Though there is just 10 days difference between the last SSLC examination and the start of the next academic year, he assured the students that there will be sufficient holidays. While exams are on, other students will have vacation. The department is still finalising the number of days students will get for summer vacation, he added.

Kumar said that he visited the Dharwad DDPI's office and was pleasantly surprised by the phone-in programme held each Saturday about issues the department can address. He said DDPIs across the state have been told to follow suit.