Marginal increase in centres as govt amends allotment policy
As per the amendment, the total number of centres will not be increased more than 10% as compared to last year
PRAYAGRAJ: With the state government amending the UP Board examination centre allotment policy for 2021 exams, the number of centres for the board exams will not increase substantially as was expected as per the earlier government order issued in this regard on November 25 last, officials said citing the amended policy.
A missive dated January 21 informing about the amendment in the November 25 government order about the online centre allotment policy has been issued by additional chief secretary (secondary education) Aradhana Shukla.
Earlier 14 students were to appear in the exam in one room but now 23 will take exam in the same space. However, it will be better than past editions of the exams as in previous years an average of 26 students were seated in a room, they added.
As per the amendment, the total number of centres will not be increased more than 10 percent as compared to last year while following the November 25 order this number was expected to go in the excess of 12,000 thereby increasing the overall cost of the exams, the officials held. For the 2020 class 10 and class 12 exams, UP Board had set up 7,784 centres. For 2021 edition, no more than 8,562 centres will be set up.
As per the earlier policy, an area of 36 sq ft was prescribed for each candidate appearing in the exams. Now a standard of 6 sq feet distance would be kept between each candidate with every examinee getting 25 sq ft of space for themselves.
With the requirement of 6 feet distance to be maintained also from all four walls being done away with, now 23 children will be able to sit in one room, said a UP Board official .
Confirming the development, UP Board secretary Divyakant Shukla said the order has been conveyed to all district magistrates and district inspector of schools across the state.
“The policy issued on November 25 last stipulated setting a centre for a minimum of 150 and a maximum of 800 candidates. But now this limit has been raised to a minimum 250 and maximum 1200 students,” he added.
As a result, while earlier a maximum of 400 children could sit in each shift, now a maximum of 600 students would be able to appear in the exam in a school per shift. This will enable proper utilisation of space in big schools, Shukla added.
Besides, time schedule has also been revised. The final list of examination centres earlier was to be released by February 9. Now, it will be released by February 22.