Govt issues formal order on Oct-Nov session in schools

Srinagar, Nov 6: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday officially ordered the restoration of the previous-November session for schools across Kashmir and winter zones of Jammu region.

The order in this regard was issued six days after the J&K chief minister announced the restoration of the November session for schools up to class 9th from the current academic session.

As per the formal order issued by the Principal Secretary School Education Department (SED) Suresh Kumar Gupta, the examinations for classes 10th to 12th will be conducted by JK Board of School Education from February 15, 2025 and complete by March end.

The order has been issued pursuant to the Council of Ministers decision no. 005/02/2024 dated October 31 of 2024.

"Sanction is hereby accorded to the restoration of previous calendar (November-December session) shall be done with respect to Kashmir region and winter zone of Jammu region," the order reads.

The SED has further ordered the restoration of previous academic calendar (November-December session) shall be done with respect to classes 1st to 9th whose examinations shall be held during the months of November-December, 2024 for the session 2024-25.

"For the students of classes 10th to 12th, the restoration of the Academic Session (to November-December session) shall be done from the academic session 2025-26. For the current academic sessions, the J&K Board of School Education shall endeavour to commence the examinations of class 10th -12th from 15th February, 2025 and shall complete by ending March, 2025," the order reads.

It has further ordered that the annual examination (summative assessment) of class 8th shall be conducted by the concerned individual schools from academic session 2024-25 and onwards.

The stakeholders have welcomed the government decision to allow the individual schools to hold the exams for class 8th students on basis of summative assessment at school level.

"This will abolish the unnecessary exam for class 8th students. Even as per the NEP-2020, there is no Board exam for class 10th students as well," president Private Schools Association J&K (PSAJK) told Greater Kashmir.