Students hail Kerala govt for conducting public exams smoothly amid pandemic

Surya’s mouth was dry, her clammy hands shaking uncontrollably and her heart beating faster as she left for the school on the opening day of SSLC examination last year. She was indeed engulfed by fear and anxiety about the exam and, more importantly, about Covid-19 and the chances of catching it from her friends. But special arrangements made at the centre to fight the coronavirus killed her fears, and Surya was finally relieved she would not have to wait for another academic year to finish her Class X because of the pandemic.

Like Surya, thousands of others had waited with bated breath as the public examinations in the state were deferred owing to the nationwide pandemic-induced lockdown. Opposition protest was mounting as the Kerala Government, which had to put off the SSLC and Plus Two exams indefinitely, later decided to conduct them with proper arrangements against Covid-19 spread. The government, which allowed the Schools to organise the exam, also sent out strict guidelines to be followed within and without the centres.

As examinations were held amid rising cases of Covid-19, schools authorities made sure students, teachers, parents and staff took safety measures such as wearing facial masks and using sanitisers and hand wash properly before and after entering the examination hall. A separate team of teachers and staff was assigned to carry out thermal screening of the students appearing for the exam and instructing them to wash their hands using soaps or sanitizers.

At the order of the education department, arrangements were made at all schools for washing hands. Masks were available at special counters set up at respective school centres for students who were unable to buy masks beforehand. The classrooms were disinfected and special seating arrangements were made for students having infected families. Apart from school vans, KSRTC buses carried students to and from the schools, ensuring that no students missed the examinations for lack of transportation or other reasons.

Overall 13.74 lakh students sat the examinations and even those in quarantine were allowed to take the examination in isolation as the government made all the possible steps to avoid students losing their academic year. Despite conducting the examination in the time of rising cases and opposition protests, there was no confirmation of any Covid-19 positive cases during the full course of the exam.

Comments

Under this govt, owning a house no longer a dream

Owning a house is not an easy feat. For many, it takes a lifetime of savings to build one while for others, banks can help out with home loans. In any case, the bulk of people’s wages goes into constructing a house. But, what about those whose dreams of owning a house are beyond their financial capabilities? That is where governments can chip in with financial assistance, and that is exactly what the Kerala government has done through its LIFE Mission programme. The kind gesture from the state brought back smiles to the faces of people who once thought building a house was beyond their reach. The state has, so far, constructed 2.51 lakh houses for its citizens who did not have any fixed abode for long. Those who meet the eligibility for the government assistance can avail the service by applying online. Under the programme, the applicant will receive Rs 4 lakh for a house, to which the Centre makes a contribution of Rs 72,000 in Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) rural and Rs 1.5...

Thanks to LDF Govt, Kerala is a Gawking-Wage free state

The past five years saw the Kerala Government showcase the courage to act on sensitive issues that led to frequent conflicts in the state. The ban on Nooku Kooli or 'gawking wage' has been one such measure that came as a jolt to trade unions who charged hirers for just looking while others worked. Making this obsolete gawking wage practice unlawful, the government made the all-important step to transform Kerala as an investment-friendly destination Nokku Kooli, which literally translates into 'gawking wage or fees', is a localised term used to refer to the money extortion done by organised labour unions in the state. Under this unwritten law, wages have to be paid to trade union workers for loading and unloading works carried out by other workers or by machines. This practice has received criticism from all quarters for its futility and senselessness, and was considered a product of militant trade unionism that often led to constant fights between workers and busines...

Welfare pension brings a whiff of life to the elderly

As people hit old age, those employed in the public sector can retire and live off the pensions and other benefits doled out by the government. Those posted in the private firms, on the other hand, could save enough and secure life post-retirement. But what about the other at-risk group, the non-earning elderly people who depend on others for money? The State Government assists them with welfare pensions. The government has implemented the pension scheme to help senior citizens without any source of income to be independent for their primary needs. As per the records, more than 46 lakh people receive social security pensions from the State Government, while another 6.5 lakh people draw the welfare fund board pensions. In the past four years of the current administration, a total of 29,770 people were included in the beneficiary list for pensions. The government also scrutinized the list and weeded out the people who are ineligible to get the benefits. Much to the...

Kerala Forward

Search This Blog