The onset of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exams has brought with it unforeseen concerns for students and parents due to the coinciding farmers’ protests and consequent border barricades causing extensive jams in Noida. Parents, anxious about their children reaching exam centers on time for the exams that commenced on Thursday, are facing additional challenges due to the farmers announcing a ‘Bharat Grameen Bandh’ on Friday. The All Noida School Parents Association (ANSPA) has made appeals to both farmer groups and the Noida police to facilitate a smooth passage for students amidst the intensified checking drives at the Noida-Delhi borders.
Yatendra Kasana, the president of ANSPA, has been proactive in seeking solutions, advising students to utilize Metro services as per the CBSE’s advisory. This suggestion comes in anticipation of the delays on the roads, with the need for students to report to their centers by 10am for 10.30am exams. Manoj Kataria, of the Gautam Buddh Nagar Parents Welfare Society, acknowledges the challenges for those without easy access to Metro services or whose exam centers are not proximate to Metro stations. Gautam Buddh Nagar is expecting 49,000 students, with 55 designated centers for the board examinations.
Amid the logistical complications, district authorities, educators, and even farmers’ union representatives have expressed a commitment to ensuring student needs are prioritized. Bharatiya Kisan Parishad leader Sukhbir Khalifa confirmed that the protests are not intended to interfere with students’ crucial academic commitments and assistance will be offered if needed. Simultaneously, in Kolkata, the board exams for class X and XII have begun smoothly, with regional language subjects and elective papers like entrepreneurship marking the initial phase of the examination period, slated to continue until April 2. While some students have found time management challenging, resources such as sample papers have been beneficial in their preparation, as shared by Aditya Keshari, a student from Sudhir Memorial Institute in Liluah.