Maharashtra HSC, SSC board exams 2021 will be held offline, says education minister Varsha Gaikwad

Mumbai: Maharashtra Board exams for SSC (class 10) and HSC (class 12) will take place offline. The state education minister Varsha Gaikwad made the announcement on Saturday (March 20). 

It means that students will have to physically go to the exam centres to appear for it, the School Education Minister said.

"Conducting practicals in school has been tough this year and therefore we've decided that students need to be given a concession here. That is why, to start with, we've decided to do away with science practical exams for SSC, replacing them with internal assignments," she said.

Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, apart from the three hours, extra time will be given for writing the paper. The time has been extended by 15 minutes and for disabled students, the time will be extended by 20 minutes.

The examination dates have already been announced and practical exams will be held once the written tests are over, Gaikwad added.

The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exam will be conducted between April 23 and May 21, while the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exam will be held between April 29 and May 20, the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) announced last month.

These board exams are usually held in February and March, but this year their schedule has been changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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