Odisha Matric Exam-2021 CANCELLED

Bhubaneswar: Following protest by Class-10 students demanding for cancellation of matric examination-2021, the State Government decided to cancel the annual examination conducted by the Board of Secondary Education (BSE).

“In view of the upsurge of COVID-19 pandemic situation, the Class-X examination conducted by BSE, Odisha scheduled to be held from May 3, 2021 has been cancelled,” announced School & Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash today.

The results of Class-X Board will be prepared on the basis of an objective criterion to be developed by the BSE, Odisha.

“Any candidate, who will not be satisfied with marks awarded to him/her on this basis, will be given an opportunity to sit in an examination as and when the conditions are conducive to hold the examination,” the Minister said.

Besides, all examinations conducted by Odisha State Board of Madrasa Education scheduled to be held from May 19, 2021 are also cancelled in the State.

The Director of Secondary Education, Odisha as the President of Odisha State Board of Madrasa Education will also take appropriate steps for awarding alternate mode of marks to the students who are supposed to appear in Madrasa Board Examination this year.

The move came a day after hundreds of students from various Government-run high schools gathered and met School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash at his residence in Bhubaneswar urging him to clear the confusion surrounding conduct of Matric Exam amidst sharp spike in single-day COVID cases in the State. Failing to get any clarity, the protestors later moved towards Naveen Niwas to put forth their demand before Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Unable to meet him, the agitating students later had staged a dharna on road at Forest Park.

The students demanded that like CBSE and ICSE, the BSE should cancel the Class 10 exam due to worsening COVID situation in the State in the second wave of pandemic. The warned that they will intensify the protest in coming days if the Government does not take decision in this regard in two days.

Earlier, the State Government had postponed Class 10, 12, UG and PG examinations in view of daily increase in COVID cases.