Odisha

Fresh Lockdown: Odisha Minister Not Sure Of Plus II Results By July-End

Bhubaneswar: With the state government declaring 14-day shutdown in the wake of rising cases of COVID-19 pandemic in four districts and a city, the declaration of Plus II results by July-end has come under shadow.

Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy on Thursday announced the government decision to re-enforce complete lockdown in four high caseload-districts of Cuttack, Khurda, Gajam and Jajpur, and Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) with effect from 9 pm Friday.

With major five major places of the state coming under the lockdown, the evaluation of answer sheets of the Plus II examination is expected to be severely affected. “There are 35 major Plus II copy checking centres in the 4 districts and Rourkela city where the government has imposed the lockdown. Due to the restrictions, the evaluation may suffer,” admitted School and Mass Education minister Samir Dash.

The minister, however, said the department’s principal secretary has written to district collectors and SPs to allow evaluation during the weekend shutdown. Now, they will decide whether the evaluation will be conducted or not, he added.

Dash had earlier also told that the evaluation process has been delayed as teachers were unable to come to the evaluation centres due to the lockdown and shutdown in the COVID-19 hotspot districts.

Speaking to the media on July 13, he had said he will write to the chief secretary to direct the collectors to allow the evaluation in their respective districts.

Earlier, the government had decided to declare the Plus II results by July-end.

Also Read: Odisha Govt Asks Collectors To Allow Plus II Evaluation Centres To Remain Open During Weekend Shutdown