Teachers’ associations in Bengal object to change in timing for Class 10, 12 board exams

Kolkata : Leading associations of school teachers in West Bengal have objected to the change in timings of secondary and higher secondary examination.

They said that the decision to prepone the examination time by two hours will cause immense inconvenience to both -- the examinees as well as those associated with the process of conducting the examinations at different centers.

As per the changed schedule, the secondary and higher secondary examinations conducted by West Bengal Board of Secondary Examination (WBBSE) and West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) respectively will start from 9:45 a.m. instead of the previous time of 11:45 a.m.

All Bengal Teachers' Association (ABTA) has already forwarded a deputation to the state education department objecting to new timing.

According to ABTA general secretary Sukumar Pyne, the early arrival to the examination might be extremely difficult especially in certain remote pockets both in North Bengal as well as in the forest areas scattered over the South Bengal districts of Bankura, Purulia, West Midnapore and Jhargram.

ABTA’s demand has been backed by another association, Secondary Teaching and Non-teaching Staff Samiti, which has claimed that during the winter seasons often trains are cancelled due to fog. This association has sent a letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with a similar plea.

So, there is every possibility that the examinees as well as those associated with the process of conducting the examinations, might be late in arrival at the examination centers. In that case, they argue, there is a possibility that some candidates might even have to face a year-loss.

However, state's education department has its own logic. It says, since the days will be smaller in February, late completion of the examination might delay the process of the candidates going back to their homes from the examination centres.

The teachers’ associations have countered this logic and claimed that delay in going back homes is much better than late arrival at the examination centres

The higher secondary examination conducted by the WBCHSE is scheduled to start from February 7 and continue till February 29. On the other hand, the secondary examination conducted by the WBBSE will start from February 2 and continue till February 12.