Board exam dates to depend on what happens to schools in Thimphu and Paro

The country’s board exam dates for class X and XII will all depend on what happens in Thimphu and Paro.

If schools from the two Dzongkhags ask for time extension to complete their syllabus, then a similar extension will be given to all schools and this would delay the board exams. In the less likely scenario of the two Dzongkhags seeing a lockdown extension till March or having fresh lockdowns around March then Board exam dates will again similarly be rescheduled.

While for the Home Exams, if schools call for time extension, particularly in Thimphu and Paro, then the ministry will give time extensions to these two Dzongkhags or others that need them.

The Education Secretary Karma Tshering said the education ministry expects that the exam dates will not have to be rescheduled and all the students will sit for their exams as per the scheduled date set by the ministry.

Class IX and XI students are supposed to write their exams on the third week of February and by end of February, they will finish it. Class X and XII exams are to start on 1st March and within two weeks, they will be done with their exams.

The Secretary said for students appearing for Board Examination for class X and XII on 1st March, they still have more than a month for the exam and hopefully things will stabilize by then.

Since they have some more time, the ministry expects there will not be much problem for the students to sit for their board exam as per the scheduled date. The syllabus coverage is also almost complete.

But if the lockdown in Thimphu and Paro remains as it is or comes back due to new cases then the students in these two Dzongkhags cannot sit for the examination.

So if Thimphu and Paro is in a lockdown even in March then the whole Board Examination will get postponed and they might have to do some rescheduling, said the Education Secretary.

For now, the Board Examination date is same as it is and the ministry is finding out whether schools in Thimphu and Paro will be able to conduct the exam as scheduled or not.

“So for now we have not really got feedback from the schools but the ministry is working on this. As soon as we receive feedback, for Thimphu and Paro in particular, and if they have covered the syllabus through online teaching or face to face teaching learning before the scheduled exam date then we will not be shifting the exam date. But if they cannot complete the syllabus then some time extension will be given if the schools feel that they need the time extension. Then the ministry will probably have to extend for all schools in the country.”

For the Home Exam, the students of class IX and XI in other dzongkhags will continue as per the scheduled date whereas for class IX and XI students of Thimphu and Paro, the ministry is studying the current situation.

The ministry has received some information on the coverage of syllabus and they are updating on whether the schools in Paro and Thimphu will be able to complete their syllabus before the scheduled exam date.

If they complete the syllabus before the scheduled exam date, then exams would happen as scheduled, but if the the Paro and Thimphu schools call for time extension then the examination would most likely be rescheduled so that they can cover the syllabus and then sit for the exams.

Meanwhile, as per the schedule in first two weeks of March, Class X and XII are supposed to be done with their exam and on third and fourth weeks of March, BCSEA will conduct evaluation simultaneously. The result is supposed to be declared on the first week of April. Ministry of Education will also do placement of class XI students for the 2021 academic year.

The classes for IX, X and XII will open by 1st April for 2021 academic year. And for class XI, they will open by mid-April. The students will get a month’s holiday.

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