The State government has sought the postponement of the SSLC and Plus Two examinations.
It has written to the Chief Electoral Officer seeking postponement of the examinations, scheduled to begin on March 17, citing the upcoming Assembly elections.
After April 6
Election training and duty for a number of teachers and arrangements for polling in schools, many of which function as polling stations, are learnt to be the reasons cited by the government. It is of the opinion that the examinations could be held after the polling on April 6.
Chief Electoral Officer Teeka Ram Meena said he had received the government representation pertaining to the examinations. It would be examined and sent to the Election Commission of India (ECI). A General Education Department official said the ECI response was expected by Tuesday.
The Kerala School Teachers’ Association had earlier written to Mr. Meena and General Education Secretary A. Shajahan seeking postponement of the examinations. It had said that training for teachers on election duty would coincide with the conduct of the examinations, affecting the number of teachers on exam duty. Teachers posted as presiding officers would need to attend more than one training.
Meanwhile, the Federation of Higher Secondary Teachers’ Association told the Election Commission that the recommendation for postponement of the examinations in the name of the elections could not be justified from the students’ perspective. The Kerala School Teachers Union State committee, in a statement, said the government move was an injustice to students.
