Union Minister Pratap Sarangi asks Odisha CM to 'clear misgivings' on examination schedules

Union Minister Pratap Sarangi has urged Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to clear the air for students who are anxious to know about their unfinished examinations and evaluation which got disrupted due to nationwide lockdown in the wake of Coronavirus pandemic.

In a letter to Patnaik, the Minister of State for MSME, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, also suggested that a uniform schedule for examinations and publication of results be adopted by all the states, including Odisha, in the larger interest of students.

Sarangi, who hails from Odisha, said that this is the period during which the results of Matriculation, Higher Secondary and Graduation examinations usually come out. But due to the outbreak of coronavirus and subsequent nationwide lockdown, the examination schedules have been disrupted, the letter mentioned. "Matriculation examination in Odisha has been over, but papers have not been evaluated and similarly, other examinations in our colleges/universities have not begun as yet. All these have cascading impact on the state level and also All India level entrance examinations for professional courses," Sarangi said in his letter, a copy of which was released to the media.

The students and their parents are anxious to know about the course of action being contemplated by the government regarding their unfinished examination and evaluation which will determine their future, he said.

"In the larger public interest, I request you to kindly instruct the authorities to clear the misgivings about the examination/evaluation schedule and come out with the future course of action since it is clear by now that online system is to be resorted to and social distancing is to be followed for some more time to come.

"I further request that a uniform schedule may be adopted across the states in consultation with the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India so that the students of our state avail the same opportunities for study in the country as much as the students of other states," he added.