JAMMU, FEBRUARY 21 (KNO) : The Government has made stringent and coordinated arrangements to ensure smooth and fair conduct of board exams (Class 10 and class 12) annual for summer zone (Jammu) and Bi- annual for winter zone, (Kashmir Valley and areas of Jammu region). The annual examinations for the summer zone are starting from February 23 (class 12) and from Feb 26(class 10), while those for winter zone (Bi-annual) are scheduled from Feb 26 (Class 12) and from March 6 (class 10). The exams are being conducted under a well-coordinated plan by the JKBOSE involving Education Department, local civil and police administration.
The information was given here at a high-level review meeting chaired by the Minister for Education, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari and co-chaired by Minister of state for Education, Priya Sethi. Secretary School Education, Farooq Ahmed Shah, Chairperson JKBOSE Prof Veena Pandita, senior functionaries of BOSE, Education Department, civil and Police functionaries attended the meeting, some of them through video conference. Education Minister said that as per the past practice, section 144 will be imposed within certain area around the examination centres with adequate police deployment, while special identity cards would be issued to the supervisory staff to ensure complete check on outside interference. As an additional measure to minimize the outside interference, the classes in the schools housing examination centres would remain suspended on the exam days. However, in winter zone all such schools would function normally as the exams in these areas would be held in the afternoon.
The Education Minister said that there would be zero tolerance for unfair means and strict action would be taken against both the insiders and outsiders for encouraging copying. He said J&K has clean record regarding conduct of exams and the attempt to degrade the system will not be tolerated at any cost. Citing an incident of attack on special squad team during an inspection visit last year, he said the government has decided to withdraw the centre from the area and initiated legal action against the attackers to send a clear message that such acts would not be tolerated. Calling upon the board to take all measures for smooth and fair conduct of exams, Priya Sethi asked the BOSE authorities not to repeat the last year’s invigilators and other supervisory staff. She also directed for issuing special I-cards to the exam supervisory staff to keep the unscrupulous elements away from the examination centre premises. Secretary School Education asked the JKBOSE authorities to ensure timely supply of examination papers and stationary the cut off areas. It was decided that the JKBOSE would hire helicopter service if required to deliver examination material in snow bound areas.(KNO)