15,151 students to write Odisha Class 10 exams in offline mode

CUTTACK: At least 15,151 students have filled up application forms for appearing in this year's Matriculation (Class 10) Examination to be conducted by the Board of Secondary Education (BSE), Odisha in the offline mode.

The offline examinations are scheduled to begin from July 30, a BSE press release issued here on Thursday said, adding that the evaluation of the answer papers will begin from August 6. The state government had cancelled this year’s matriculation examination in view of the pandemic and accordingly, the BSE last month had declared that nearly 98 per cent of the students, who had filled up the forms, passed the examination in different grades based on an alternative method of assessment of the students as well as their school's past performances.

However, several students from across the state, particularly from private schools alleged that they have been awarded marks below their standard and expectations. Questioning the controversial method of evaluation, many students staged state-wide protests criticising the role of the BSE, which had tweaked with the marks of some students submitted by their respective school teachers. Faced with all-round criticisms, the BSE in a face-saving tactic announced to hold the offline examinations for the discontented students giving just four weeks time for the students to prepare and write the examination physically at the examination centres . The Board has also decided that the marks secured by the students in the offline examination will be final.

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