Early snowfall upsets HPBSE exam schedule

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 17

The early snowfall which wreaked havoc in several parts of Himachal, especially in higher hills, not only disrupted normal life in the region, but also upset the examination schedule of Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education, forcing it to announce fresh examination dates for “absentee” Class-IX students and reset the examination papers.

Due to the closure of roads in the wake of snowfall and freezing cold wave conditions, a majority of students in high and senior secondary schools in Shimla, Kullu, Kinnaur, Chamba and parts of Sirmaur district could not appear for the examinations scheduled for December 15.

The Board has now decided to afford another opportunity to the affected students by taking fresh examinations.

The Board has asked the Education Department to gather the number of absentee students on December 15 and inform the Board by tomorrow so that new question papers could be sent to schools, said Dr Harish, Board Secretary.

Students, who have already appeared in English paper scheduled on December 15, would be evaluated on the basis of the old paper, while the evaluation of “absentee” students would be done on the basis of fresh examination with new question papers, he said. The paper of English fixed for December 15 would now be held in all schools on December 23, Art and Culture paper to be held on December 16 would now be held on December 20, while Science paper scheduled on December 17 has been re-scheduled for December 22. New question papers for English exam would be sent to the district headquarters by tomorrow so that they reach the respective schools in time for smooth conduct of examinations from December 20.