‘What About Students Of Containment Zones?’, Telangana HC On SSC Exams

HYDERABAD: A division bench of the Telangana High Court, hearing a petition on the conduct of SSC Examinations in the state, on Friday questioned the State government on what it intends to do with the students in containment zones. The question came up from the bench in the context of the state government expressing its preparedness to conduct the 10th standard examinations from June 8th despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

“What about the students in the containment zones?,” the high court bench asked the Telangana Advocate General BS Prasad. It wanted to know what the government wants to do with students confined to containment zones and thus won’t be able to attend the examinations. The bench posed this question to the AG through video-conference after he informed the court that the State government is well-prepared to conduct the examinations.

The AG told the High Court that the students, who cannot take examinations as per schedule, will be permitted to appear for supplementary examinations. To this, the bench questioned the AG, “Is it possible to treat the students attending supplementary examinations as regular students?”.  The AG responded to this saying that he would refer this matter to the state government and inform its decision to the high court tomorrow (Saturday). The bench subsequently adjourned the hearing till Saturday while asking the AG to furnish the details of all the containment Zones in the state.

On May 19, the high court gave permission to the state government to conduct the SSC examinations from June 8 and directed it to ensure that all precautions are taken to keep the students safe from contracting Covid-19. However, the bench had directed the government to review the situation in the State on June 3 and decide whether it should go ahead with the examinations, as scheduled, from June 8. Whatever is its decision, the government should inform the students immediately through the media, it had then said.