Elementary schools may remain shut this year in Himachal

Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 6

As half of the academic season is already over, there is little chance of opening of elementary schools barring Class VIII this year due to Covid 19. However, senior classes from VIII to XII will resume in a phased manner, provided the Ministry of Home (MHA) left the matter to the state in the fresh guidelines.

The schools in the state are closed till September 21 and further decision will be taken by the MHA, said Director, Higher Education, Amarjeet Sharma, adding that a tentative schedule for the opening of schools had been prepared by the department.

The HP Board of School Education had curtailed the Class X and XII syllabus by 30 per cent and given option of 30 per cent choice in question papers, but the whole syllabus would be completed by March 31 so that the students didn’t lag behind, he added.

Elementary schools, which have been closed since March 15, will not be opened this year as 62 per cent of the parents are against the opening of the schools.

If the conditions improve then students appearing for board exams will be called in the first phase followed by those in Classes IX and XI in the second phase and Class VII in the third phase, sources in the Education Department said.

Meanwhile, the Himachal Pradesh University has decided to start admissions to undergraduate courses on the basis of marks in Class XII board results and a decision in this regard is expected soon. Consequently, the admissions to professional courses like the BBA, the BCA, the UILS, the UIIT will also be on merit without the entrance test.

The examinations of the final semester of postgraduate courses will commence after September 15, while the evaluation of the final semester of the undergraduate examination will start immediately in the colleges after the conclusion of examinations, said HPU Vice-Chancellor Prof Sikendar Kumar.

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