DSEK rules out mass promotion; Exams to be conducted for every class

SRINAGAR — Ending the uncertainty regarding examinations, the government today confirmed that there would be no mass promotion for students and all examinations for every class would be conducted although with some concessions.

Quashing the demands for mass promotions from various quarters, Director of Education Mir Tariq Ali said that the government is committed to bringing the education sector back on track by taking other steps.

“Be it the flood-affected schools or non-flood-affected schools, there won’t be any mass promotion and examinations would definitely be held,” said Mir. “Exams have been postponed but not cancelled and they will be held at later dates.”

The Director said that the students who have been unable to complete their syllabus need not worry as the department has taken several steps to help them. “For the majority of classes including 10th and higher classes, the syllabus was almost complete. For classes where the syllabus was not complete, we will either conduct extra classes for them or their examination would be conducted for the finished portion only,” said Mir. “Our teachers have voluntarily decided to take extra classes for them.”

Mir said the department is going to publish a new date sheet for Class 10 after proper consultation.

Regarding the opening of schools, Mir said that all the unaffected schools have been opened and some partially affected schools have been started too after fulfilling the required criteria.

“Some of the fully damaged schools have been shifted to other schools and we are even making efforts to rent out accommodations for the remaining ones,” said Mir. “Two schools in Rajbagh and Jawaharnagar have been shifted to Rawalpora Girls and Boys schools and the same arrangement is being done at other places too.”

Out of the total 11526 government schools, around 4000 schools were affected by flood waters. According to Mir, around 220 were fully damaged and 831 were partially damaged. There are also 4200 private schools and the number of fully and partially damaged among them is being ascertained.