75K students to write Class X exams in Kashmir; Covid positive candidates advised to stay away

Srinagar: Nearly 75,000 students are set to write Class X examinations that are starting from November 9 in the Kashmir valley.

J&K Board of School Education (BOSE) officials said ‘nearly double’ the number of examination centers have been set up to maintain social distancing given the Covid-19 pandemic.

Officials have also advised the Covid-19 positive students to stay away from the examination centers.

“We have 814 examination centers for Class 10th in Kashmir division. This is almost double the number of centers we usually have in view of the Covid-19 protocols. As many as 74,465 students are scheduled to appear in the examination,” JKBOSE joint secretary examination Prof. Aijaz Ahmad Hakak told The Kashmir Monitor.

When asked about the Covid positive 10th class students, if any, Prof. Hakak said: “Covid positive students are not supposed to enter the centers. It is the moral responsibility of the parents that they should not approach the centers. We will work out later how they will write exams.”

He said 58, 514 students of the Valley will be appearing for the Class XII examinations that are also starting from next week.

JKBOSE Director Academics Dr. Farooq Ahmad Peer said the students will have to attempt only 60 marks in the question paper that will be given 100 marks weightage.

“Earlier, a student had to attempt 70 percent marks but now the relaxation has been raised to 40 percent, so the student has to attempt only 60 percent marks,” he said.

The 40 percent syllabus relaxation has been announced for the students from Class X to XII.

A JKBOSE notification said the concession will apply to only the theory part of subjects that also have practicals. “In Physics, Chemistry and Biology, which have a practical component of 30 marks and theory question paper of 70 marks, the student shall attempt 42 marks in theory (i.e 60% of 70 marks) only which shall be raised to 100% proportionately i.e. 70 marks at the time of evaluation,” the notification stated.