All students of classes 9, 10, 11 declared pass in TN
CHENNAI: Students of Classes 9, 10 and 11 in Tamil Nadu have been exempted from annual exams in view of pandemic.
“It will be all-pass,” announced Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswamy on Thursday.
Also in the state assembly, the chief minister of the of the poll-bound state announced that the retirement age of government employees has been increased to 60 years from the existing 59.
“Taking into account the unusual situation faced by the students and teachers and based on the requests of the patents and the views of the educational experts, students of classes 9, 10, and 11 would be declared passed without taking the annual and board exams for the academic year 2020-21,” Palaniswamy said.
The government would issue detailed guidelines for calculating the marks for the students, he said.
Ater the virus spread was brought under control, schools were reopened for Classes 10 and 12 from Jan.19 this year and the students were given immunity boosters and vitamin tablets.
The constraints being faced by the students while learning through online mode was considered, he said, and the syllabus was reduced.
Sources said around 80 per cent of the marks will be evaluated based on the performance of students in quarterly and half-yearly examinations, and 20 per cent will be based on atendance.
Online examinations for 10 and 12 too were being considered. Classes for students in Class 10 and 12 were reopened in January 2021, nearly 10 months ater schools were closed due to the pandemic.
All students were reportedly given vitamin and zinc tablets to boost immunity.
The government recently released the timetable for class 12 examinations. The exams will be conducted between May 3 and 21.
The state board exams are usually held in March but are postponed to April this year due to the pandemic.
About retirement age, Palaniswamy said the order would be applicable to employees of the government and government-aided schools, legal and constitutional bodies, government sectors, local bodies, commissions, boards and unions. It will apply to all employees who are retiring from service by May 31, 2021. The government had, in May last year, increased the retirement age from 58 to 59.
The order would also apply to all teaching and non-teaching staff working in aided educational institutions and employees of all constitutional or statutory bodies, public sector undertakings including all state corporations, societies etc.