The Government of Kerala has postponed the Class 10 and 12 public examinations scheduled this week at its Middle East centres, citing the worsening security situation in parts of the Gulf region.
As per media reports, announcing the decision, General Education Minister V. Sivankutty said it would not be feasible to conduct the exams as planned under the current circumstances. Revised dates will be announced later.
SSLC and Higher Secondary Exams Deferred
According to the minister, the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examination slated for March 5 in Gulf centres has been postponed. In addition, the Higher Secondary examinations scheduled for March 5, 6 and 7 in the region have also been deferred.
“The security situation in the Gulf has made it impossible to conduct public examinations,” Sivankutty told reporters, adding that the government’s priority is to ensure that students are not put at risk according to the media reports.
The Gulf region that includes Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates hosts a large expatriate Malayali population. Every year, thousands of students from these centres appear for Kerala board examinations. This year, seven centres in the Middle East were set to conduct the SSLC exam for 633 Class 10 students, besides multiple centres for Class 12 candidates.
Students Asked to Submit Applications
Students unable to appear for the exams due to flight disruptions, local restrictions or unrest have been advised to submit applications to the Director of General Education through their respective headmasters or principals. Officials said such applications will be considered on merit, and appropriate decisions will be taken to safeguard students’ academic interests.
Education department officials are closely monitoring the situation and indicated that further instructions will be issued if required.
Earlier in the day, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had also deferred its Class 10 and 12 board examinations scheduled for March 5 and 6 in several Middle East countries, following a similar review of the prevailing conditions.
