Class X exams to be held in Telangana from June 8 to July 5

With the Telangana High Court showing green light for conducting Class X exams after the first week of June, the state education authorities on Friday announced the exam schedule.

As per the new schedule, the exams will be held from June 8 to July 5. Education Minister P. Sabita Indra Reddy announced that there will be a two- day gap after each paper as suggested by the high court. The exams will be held from 9.30 a.m. to 12.15 pm.

Acting on the court's suggestion to ensure social distancing, the department said 2,005 exam centres would be set up. This will be in addition to 2,530 centres set up earlier. The minister said every exam centre will be sanitised and the students will be provided face masks. All candidates will be thermally screened before their entry into the exam centres.

For candidates found to be suffering from fever, cold and cough, separate rooms would be providing for writing the exams. One student will sit on each bench in the exam hall. Students will be informed about their exam centres through their respective schools. The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) will operate special buses to ferry the students to their exam centres.

Sabita Indra Reddy said services of additional 26,422 teachers will be used as invigilators at the exam centres. It will be compulsory for them to wear masks and gloves. She appealed to parents of the students to take care of them to ensure that they are not affected by Covid-19. On the suggestion of the High Court, the department decided to open a helpline for students and their parents.

While allowing the government to go ahead with the preparations for the exams after first week of June, the High Court on Wednesday asked it to review the situation on June 3 and submit its report to the court the next day. The government was asked not to conduct the exams if the Covid-19 situation deteriorates by then.

A division bench passed the orders on a petition filed by the state government, seeking review of the interim orders passed by the court in March and the permission to conduct the exams in May as per the revised schedule. On March 20, the High Court had directed the state to postpone the Class X exams, scheduled for March 23 to April 6, in view of the Covid-19 outbreak. The state had conducted the exams for three papers of the first and second languages before March 22 as per the original timetable.

The state Cabinet earlier this month decided to conduct the exams for remaining papers during May. It moved the High Court, seeking permission for the same keeping in view the academic calendar and the interests of 5.50 lakh students.