Mumbai: With Covid-19 continuing to wreak havoc on school attendance, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government is mulling mass promotion for all students except those in Classes 10 and 12.
A senior government official told The Free Press Journal, “This option is under the government’s active consideration especially when district collectors either have imposed a lockdown or curfew for a limited period or imposed strict restrictions in areas, to break the virus transmission. Schools, colleges and coaching classes have been shut and online instruction is the norm. However, considering internet connectivity issues, especially in mofussil areas, online exams cannot be held. So mass promotion of students in Classes 1-9 is being considered.” He said that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had also asked the relief and rehabilitation secretary to prepare a plan for a limited lockdown.
“On the other hand, there is also the option of assigning grades to students based on internal assessments to promote them to the next grade,” he added.
School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad has already announced offline exams for Classes 10 and 12.
The official recalled that last March, Gaikwad had announced the cancellation of all exams for Classes 1-8 in the wake of the pandemic and had said that all students would be promoted to the next class without having to take examinations.
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