School exams may be shifted to March session

Srinagar: The J&K government is mulling to shift the school exams session of Primary to Higher Secondary classes from November to March.

A top source said the department is holding deliberations on the issue and may take a final decision in the coming weeks.

“The department is seriously considering to shift the school exams session from November to March. It will bring the academic session in line with the schools across the country,” a top official said.

The officials said the issue was also discussed with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti “who has almost agreed on it.”

“The new academic session of colleges outside state begins from July and our students who aspire to pursue professional courses outside state wait till July despite appearing in their Class 10th or Class 12th exams in November,” the official said.

He said the shifting of school exams session to March can help curb the “menace of private coaching in lower classes.”

“If exams will be held in March, the students will go for coaching only in winter months. It will also enhance the working days and the students will have maximum number of classes in their schools,” the official said.

They said the issue will be again discussed in a high level review meeting of education sector to be convened by CM Mehbooba Mufti shortly.

Meanwhile, the Private Schools’ Association Kashmir (PSAK) has extended its support to the proposal. “Shifting of exam session to March will be a positive step. It will help the government as well as the private schools to have more number of working days in schools,” Chairman PSAK, G N Var said.

A top source in the administration revealed that the decision to shift the exam session to March was taken in the previous years as well, however it was “sabotaged by a lobby in bureaucracy.”

“Shifting of exam session permanently to March was discussed post-2014 floods but bureaucracy didn’t support it for reasons unknown,” a source said. “But this time around, the CM is probably in its support.”

President JK Teacher’s Forum (JKTF) Abdul Qayoom Wani said shifting of annual exams to March will be a positive step. “In the past, this initiative was sabotaged by some vested interests as they believe that shifting of exams will disturb their schedule of spending winters outside state,” Wani said, adding that the decision will enhance working days in schools. (GKNN)