The annual matric supplementary examination for candidates who could not pass the annual high school certificate examination and the Odisha State Open School Certificate examination, began across all the districts of Odisha on Monday with over 35000 students appearing for it.
President of Board of Secondary Examinations that conducts the exam Ramashis Hazra said 22649 candidates are writing the tests offline in 153 centres beginning Monday. On Monday, Odia language paper was held between 10 am and 12 with strict adherence to Covid-19 guidelines. Similarly, the Odisha State Open School Certificate examination for over-aged school dropouts too started in 88 centres with 12039 students writing the test.
The results of matriculation examination was announced in July with 78.76 per cent of the 5.11 lakh students clearing the test. Of the 1.03 lakh who could not clear the test, a little more than 20 per cent are writing the supplementary exam that would conclude on September 22.
The Odisha State Open Schools conducts public examinations for over-aged school dropouts twice a year. A candidate gets 9 chances to appear in the public examinations over a period of 5 years from the date of registration to complete the secondary school certification or senior secondary school certification. These certificates are equivalent to SSC/ Sr. SSC of formal school system in the country on reciprocal basis.
BSE officials said there will be 13 evaluation centres for the Matric Supplementary High School exam, while seven for the Matric Supplementary exam for Open school.
Hazra said all the centre superintendents of examination centres have been requested to strictly follow the Covid-19 guidelines while conducting the examinations. “Students have been asked to enter the examination centres at 9 am. While the question paper will be provided at 9.45 am, the exam will start at 10 am. Students will be given 2 hours instead of 2 hours and 30 minutes to complete the exam. The full mark has been reduced to 80 from 100,” said Hazra.
The District Education Officers have been requested to make arrangements for sanitization of the examination centres each day after conduct of the examination and make overall supervision of the examination.
