Mangaluru: The state govt’s proposal to introduce common question papers for classes VI to IX in government schools from the current academic year is likely to delay the publication of exam results in several schools.With examinations scheduled to conclude next week, teachers said schools with a large number of students may not be able to announce results before April 10. The delay has created confusion in the academic calendar, which usually ends on April 10, but is now expected to stretch further because of uncertainty over the new examination system.Teachers said the delay is being caused by multiple factors linked to the revised exam process and overlapping official duties. This year, question papers for classes 6 to 9 in state syllabus government schools were prepared centrally by the Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board, marking a significant change in the conduct of examinations. At the same time, many teachers have been assigned SSLC examination duties, evaluation work and training related to the upcoming census, leaving little time for correcting answer scripts. Schools are also required to hold Samudayadatta Shale, an annual mandatory event, on April 8 and 9, further tightening the schedule.A headmaster from a high school under the Mangaluru South BEO limits said the ongoing examinations will end on April 6, leaving very little time for schools to complete evaluation and prepare results before the close of the academic year. He said primary and high schools must conduct Samudayadatta Shale on April 8 and 9, respectively, while SSLC evaluation is set to begin from April 8. With the official academic year ending on April 10, schools are finding it difficult to complete all responsibilities within the available time.“Considering this tight schedule, this year it will be difficult to announce results on the scheduled day. Also, whether schools, especially high schools, will be able to hold Samudayadatta Shale since SSLC teachers go for evaluation,” the headmaster said.Teachers said the burden of non-academic responsibilities has worsened the situation. “Besides academic work, this year the majority of teachers have been assigned census work and it will be difficult for them to immediately evaluate class VI to IX answer scripts. Many of them who were assigned SSLC examination duty are just back on campus,” a teacher said.Officials said aided and unaided schools have already completed examinations and are ready to announce results. A block education officer stated that the change this year was the introduction of question papers prepared by the Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board for government schools, which resulted in confusion.
