Students get centres far from schools

LUDHIANA: As if the stress of writing the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) exams was not enough, students of Class 12 will now have added worries as they have been asked to report to examination centres which are at least seven to eight km away from their school. Private and government schools were made aware of this development when roll numbers of Class 12 students for the exam were sent to them on Saturday evening.

The board had earlier issued a letter on January 31 to all state district education officers of the state to ensure that no centre should be located beyond a distance of three km.

There are 201 examination centres in the district for the Class 12 board exam. Several schools have written to the board to set up centres close by.

As of now, 275 Class 12 students of the Indian Public Senior Secondary School, Daba Lohara Road, will have to report to Government Model Senior Secondary School, Cemetery Road, which is around 8 km away from their school. Surinder Pal Garg, principal, said a representative had been sent to change the centre as it was not possible for the students to travel 8 km for exams.

The situation is no different for other private schools. About 200 science students from Teja Singh Sutantar Memorial Senior Secondary School, Shimlapuri, near canal bridge, will have to travel more than 6 km to reach their examination centre at Government Senior Secondary School, Boys, Multipurpise near Rekhi Cinema. Making transportation arrangements for all the students was not feasible, Harjit Kaur, principal, said.

Students of Government Senior Secondary School, Hambowal Bet, has 58 students who will have to travel around 8 km to reach their examination centre at the National College for Women, Macchiwara. The school principal, Vandana said, “We have handed over the roll numbers to the students and told them to make their own arrangements to reach the centres.”

GOOF UP

In a major goof up by the Punjab School Education Board, Sutantar Convent School, Basti Jodhewal was allotted Government High School, Sherpur Kalan, but due to printing error, the school was allotted Government Senior Secondary at Sherpur Kalan in Jagraon that is 50km away from the school. After receiving the email, the school authorities contacted the district education office and the authorities rectified the error.

PVT SCHOOLS IN LURCH

With private schools outnumbering the government schools in the district, officials of the education department were in for a quandary as the PSEB made it mandatory that only government schools will serve as centres for Class 10 and 12 examinations.

There are 1,140 private schools affiliated to PSEB against 356 government schools in district. Secretary (education) Krishan Kumar could not be reached for comments.

› We have handed over the roll numbers to the students and told them to make their own arrangements to reach the centres.

VANDANA , principal, Govt Sen Sec School, Hambowal Bet (Ludhiana)