Outcry over postponement of class 8th exam

Srinagar, Mar 23:  The J&K State Council of Education Research and Training (SCERT) has come under severe criticism for the postponement of all the examinations of scheduled papers of class 8th.

The stakeholders have raised questions over ill preparation of the officers tasked to conduct the class 8th examination in hard and soft zones of Jammu and Kashmir.

On Saturday, the SCERT notified the postponement of the exams scheduled on March 24, 26, and 29, 2024 in soft zones and March 26 and 29, 2024, scheduled in hard zones of J&K citing that representations for postponement of exams were received from various quarters.

However, a top official said that the exam was postponed due to ill preparation of the employees, entrusted to conduct the class 8th examination across J&K.

“There were issues with the printing and distribution of question papers to complex heads due to which the exams were postponed. Otherwise, no representation was received from anyone,” the official said, wishing not to be named.

As per the official communication available with Greater Kashmir, the Joint Director SCERT on March 22 had written to the Director SCERT to postpone the exam of Regional Language subject scheduled on March 24 citing paucity of time in distribution of confidential material to the schools.

The communication hinted about the ill preparation of SCERT particularly the team of employees entrusted with holding the class 8th exams.

In an official communication, Joint Director SCERT has written to Director SCERT that the confidential material of the middle standard examination 2023-24 should be dispatched on March 23, 2024, in respect of the Kashmir division.

“Regional Language paper of soft zone already notified to be held on March 24, 2024, needs to be rescheduled as the Regional Language paper should not be supplied on the same date due to paucity of time,” the official communication reads.

The Joint Director said that the Regional Language paper scheduled on March 24 in respect of the soft zone might be rescheduled for April 7, 2024, along with the hard zone paper of Regional Languages.

Amid the postponement of the exams, the teachers and other stakeholders expressed concern over the move saying that the delay in completion of exams wastes academic days.

“SCERT has postponed all three papers of class 8th without giving any genuine reasons. They should have not issued a date sheet if they were not prepared to hold the exam. They are deliberately creating problems for school kids,” a school teacher said, wishing not to be named.

Another school teacher said they have made a mockery of class 8th exam by announcing the postponement at the last moment.

“As if it was any national-level competitive exam. They are not able to conduct class 8th exams. The reason for this mess is that the department has not deputed competent people at SCERT," the teacher said.

Recently, the JKSCERT faced massive criticism as numerous District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) failed to maintain the quality of examination papers of class 8th, resulting in significant inconveniences for students. The students complained besides using poor paper quality for printing, the concerned DIETs had used very small fonts for Urdu question paper causing inconveniences to them.