Karnataka to hold SSLC exams in July; promotes second PUC students

The Karnataka government on Friday announced that the SSLC or 10th standard examinations will be held in July third week while cancelling the second year pre-university course (PUC) exams this year in view of the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The PUC second year students will be promoted to the next level and the grading will be based on their performance in the first PUC exam.

"The SSLC exam will have one multi-choice question paper for mathematics, science and social science and one more question paper for languages," Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar told reporters.

The multi-choice question paper bearing 40 marks will be easy and straight and there will not be any indirect questions, he said.

Kumar said there will be a supplementary examination for those students who are affected by the COVID-19.

The exam results will be out by August.

The exams will be conducted in 6,000 centres, which is double last year, the Minister said, adding, each room will have 10 to 12 students.

There will be a gap of six feet between students.

The decision to hold the SSLC exam was taken as it was crucial for students to opt for the streams of their choice such as science, commerce and arts.

Regarding the second PUC examination, the minister said, "We are not holding the PUC exam. The grading will be based on their performance at the district level assessment in the first pre-university examination".

He also said that aggrieved students who are not happy with the grading system can take up the examination, the dates of which would be notified later.

The minister clarified that he was satisfied with the decision.

In view of the prevailing situation, whatever decision that was in the best interest of the students has been taken.

The decision was arrived at after wide consultation with various stakeholders such as academics, educationists, teachers, officials and parents.

The examination board will issue detailed guidelines for grading the students of second PUC students whereas a model question paper for SSLC students will be released on the board website and handed over to the district and block education officers to supply them to the schools for reference.

The SSLC students arriving for examination will be given N-95 masks and there will be hand sanitisers at the entrance of the examination halls.

Last year, Karnataka successfully conducted the SSLC and PUC examinations amid the COVID-19 scare.