Telangana Class 10th board exams to have six papers in 2021

The State Education Department planning to reduce the number of papers for the forthcoming SSC Public Examinations, from the existing 11 to six on account of the Covid-19 pandemic, and also to go for the physical reopening of schools, though partially, in January.

While a proposal on the reopening of schools has been sent to the government, the one on reducing SSC exam papers is being forwarded for a decision.

According to officials, the reopening of schools and other educational institutions was likely to be restricted to students of Classes IX and above and most probably around Sankranti, or from the first week of January.

As for the examinations, which are likely to impact at least five lakh students across Telangana, officials are contemplating limiting the number of papers to six even as the duration of the examination might remain the



same.

Terming the proposal as ‘excellent’, M Veerachary, general secretary, Government Teachers Association-Telangana, said the government should also give breaks between two examinations.

For the academic year 2019-2020, only three examinations — first language paper-I and II and second language — were conducted, and the State government had promoted all Class X students without holding the remaining examinations due to the pandemic. The move, which considered internal assessment marks, benefited more than 5.34 lakh students across the State.

As for the reopening of schools, apart from day-scholar schools, the government may also grant permission for residential schools with strict Covid-19 protocols in place. Earlier, the School Education Department had proposed to hold classwork for 120 days starting December first week. However, this plan did not materialise.