Coronavirus: MHRD directs CBSE and NTA to draw up exam schedules

NEW DELHI: As India imposes a mandatory 21-day lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has directed all its offices and autonomous institutions and subordinate offices to remain closed for a period of three weeks.

But over that time, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and the National Testing Agency (NTA) have been tasked with coming up with a “ revised schedule of exams”.

The academic calendar, thrown into utter disarray by the coronavirus pandemic, will be drawn up afresh by the remaining autonomous bodies. They and the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT), have been asked to “draft alternate academic calendars”.

The shutdown of offices has been announced in compliance with orders issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on March 24.

Working from home

The regulatory bodies had already allowed teaching and non-teaching staff of educational institutions to work from home. Now most of the officials are setting up offices in their homes too.

In face of a 21-day lockdown across the country, the bureau heads and division heads are directed to ensure that all financial matters relating to releases, particularly salaries and pensions are cleared on time.

In its office memorandum, MHRD has issued orders to postpone all the meetings and video-conferencing in the Department of Higher Education, Department of School Education and Literacy and Ministry of Human Resource Development.

MHRD has directed the institutions to take adequate precautionary measures to face the situation arising out of COVID-19.

All the ongoing university and board examinations across the states have been postponed and will have to be rescheduled along with the evaluation work of the exams that have taken place.

Meanwhile, all the educational institutions have been instructed to maintain regular communication with the students and teachers through electronic means and social media and keep them fully informed about any updates. They have also been asked to notify helpline numbers/emails which students can use for their queries, if any.

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