Naveen Patnaik urges Centre to issue timeframe for 2020-21 academic session, board exams

As schools continue to remain closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting the Union government to bring clarity on the timeframe for the conduct of Board and higher secondary examinations and duration of academic session 2020-21 so that class 10 and 12 students can prepare themselves for the Board examinations.

“In absence of clarity on academic session and conduct of both Standard 10 and 12 Board examinations, all enrolled students and their parents and teachers are in a state of uncertainty. It is leading to anxiety among us all,” Patnaik wrote.

“As all competitive entrance examinations and admission in institutions of higher education are interlinked, national guidelines with tentative timelines will help the states for framing appropriate strategy. It will also help the students to plan their preparations accordingly,” he added.

Patnaik further said that the educational institutions are closed in the state up to December 31, 2020, in view of COVID-19.

“The educational institutions are closed in the state due to COVID-19 since March 17, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Keeping in view the safety and security of students and after consultation with different stakeholders and experts, we have decided to keep educational institutions closed up to December 31, 2020,” he wrote.