Ludhiana: Far-off exam centres for PSEB Class 5 irk parents, teachers
According to the SCERT guidelines, government schools with less than 25 students have been assigned centres outside their premises, forcing young students to travel to unfamiliar schools for their exams creating chaos for students from economically weaker backgrounds
Under the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB), students of Class 5 sat for their first final examination on Friday. Unlike previous years, this year, exams are not being conducted by the PSEB but instead State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) is overseeing the whole process which has led to an unexpected complication in the allocation of examination centres leading to frustration among parents and teachers.
According to the SCERT guidelines, government schools with less than 25 students have been assigned centres outside their premises, forcing young students to travel to unfamiliar schools for their exams. This decision has created chaos, particularly for students from economically weaker backgrounds.
Amaninder Kaur, director of the SCERT, said that this rule of 25 students per centre does not comply with the private schools as they do not fall under SCERT’s jurisdiction. “While SCERT provides them with the evaluation tool, private institutions have full autonomy in conducting the examination according to their own protocols,” she said further.
While providing clarity on the rationale behind the 25-student rule, Kaur explained that to ensure the effective implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, SCERT is responsible for conducting the examination, as the PSEB cannot do so without charging a fee. “In contrast, SCERT administers the exams free of cost,” she said.
A concerned parent said that many students come from families where parents work as daily wage laborers, making it difficult for them to pick up and drop their children at distant examination centres. “We can’t afford to take leave for five days just to escort our children. If the teachers don’t take responsibility, our kids might miss their exams,” they said further.
Teachers are equally distressed. “In many schools, there is only one teacher managing everything. Now, they have been assigned duty at different schools while their students have been sent elsewhere. How can they ensure students reach their centres safely?” asked Jagjit Singh Mann, district president of the Government Teachers’ Union (GTU).
However, private schools affiliated with PSEB have been allowed to conduct exams within their own premises. “We fail to understand why government schools are being treated differently,” said Lakhwinder Singh, centre head teacher and GTU president of Machhiwara-2 block.
Certain blocks, including Machhiwara-1 and 2, Khanna, Samrala, and Mangat-3, are facing the worst impact. “Last year, every school was made an examination centre, regardless of the number of students. This sudden change has led to a lot of inconvenience” questioned Lakhwinder Singh.
Addressing the concerns, district education officer (DEO) (elementary) Ravinder Kaur stated, “The rule for 25 students per centre was set by SCERT. However, we have directed block primary education officers (BPEOs) to adjust centres where students are facing major commuting issues.”
Amaninder Kaur further emphasised that the rule mandating a minimum of 25 students per examination centre is primarily for security and administrative purposes. However, recognising potential challenges, DEOs have been instructed to accommodate genuine concerns. In special cases where the rule causes inconvenience, examination centres can be established even for as few as two students.
