Board exams to be compulsory for class 5 and class 8 students in TN despite public opposition

Students from classes 5 and 8 will write their board exams in the same school they are studying in this academic year, said School Education Minister KA Sengottaiyan, speaking at the sidelines of an event here on Wednesday. Despite public opposition, the exam will happen from this academic year, he said. He announced that students from Class 5 will be writing board exams for three subjects and class 8 students will be writing their exams for five subjects."Training will be provided for all students for three years to help them perform well in their board exams. Further no student will be detained in that time period," he said.

Earlier this year, the School Education Department had issued a circular asking all Chief  Education Officers to identify logistics to make class 5 and 8 students to write their board exams in other schools in the neighbourhood. This suggested that students will take up their board exams in common examination centre like students in classes 10, 11 and 12. He added that there will be no changes in the pattern or time table of quarterly and half-yearly examinations because of local body elections.

He was speaking at the sidelines of the launch of a spoken English guide on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the government issued a order stating that spoken English will be included in the curriculum of students in classes.