Bhubaneswar: Class X students of the government schools in Odisha turned up at the residence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here on Tuesday, seeking clarity on the matriculation examination.
Denied entry, the students handed a memorandum to the security personnel.
They are demanding that annual board examinations be cancelled in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. The state has been reporting over 4,000 new cases for the last two days.
Talking to mediapersons, the aggrieved students said the state government has postponed the Class X Board examination and they are not sure whether it will be rescheduled or cancelled.
This assumed significance as the CBSE and the CISCE have cancelled the Class X board exams given the worsening situation of the pandemic in the country.
“In view of the alarming rise in COVID-19 cases across the country, the CBSE has cancelled the Class X board examination and postponed the annual Class XII Board examination. Similarly, the CISCE has cancelled the Class X Board examination. As Odisha is now going through the same situation, we expect the state government to take a similar step. If the state government intends to conduct the annual examination, let it inform us at the earliest so that we will prepare accordingly,” they added.
Also Read: CISCE Too Cancels Class X Exam, Withdraws Option For Students
Earlier in the day, the students had met the School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Das at his official residence. Later, they told the media that the minister told them that he was not above the Chief Minister, who will take a call. However, the minister asked the students to give him two days’ time.
The students said that they will stage a demonstration if the government fails to take the decision in two days.
Also Read: Odisha Govt Postpones Class X & XII Exams; Schools To Be Closed From This Date
