Sindh issues schedule of new academic session, SSC exams to be held on June 15

KARACHI: In the pursuance of decisions taken by the steering committee meetings last month, Sindh’s School Education and Literacy Department has issued a new schedule of the academic session 2020-21, starting from June 1.

The new timetable will be followed by all private and government-run schools and colleges, including the Aga Khan University Examination Board and Ziauddin University Education Board. However, academic session for the Cambridge examinations for the year 2020-21 will commence on August 1.

Timetable of annual exams

According to the new schedule issued last week, the Secondary School Certificate (part-I and II) Annual Examinations 2020 will be starting from June 15, 2020. Both theoretical and practical exams of the SSC part-I and II will be held in the evening shift. However, all examination boards across Sindh are bound to announce results of the SSC part-II by August 15, 2020 while the results of SSC part-I will be announced within 60 days after the announcement of results of class 10th.

Similarly, the Higher Secondary School Certificate Annual Examinations 2020 will be commencing from July 6, 2020. The results of the HSSC part-II will be announced on September 15. The results of HSSC part-I will be announced after the declaration of the HSSC part-II’s results.

In addition, the students of grade 1 to 3 will be promoted to next classes after written exams as per timetables of each school. But, the students, enrolled in level four to eighth, will attempt their annual exams on June 15 at their relevant schools.

Admission schedule

The admission process for class 1 to class 8 will be started from June 1, 2020 and the process will be completed by June 10. It has been decided that schools will start new classes by June 1 so that they can formally commence new academic year.

At the higher secondary school, pupils will secure provisional admission in class 11 in the month of June on the basis of the results of class 9. However, their admissions will be confirmed after the announcement of results of SSC-part II examinations.

In Karachi division, provisional admissions in class 11 at government-run colleges will be awarded as per centralized admission policy through online system introduced by the College Education Department Sindh. Also, the enrollment of pupils in classes 11 and 12 will be placed on the college education department's website.

Transparency in exams

The school education department, along with new academic schedule, has also introduced some new examination rules for making the assessment process more transparent and effective. The new rules read that unauthorised persons and reporters will not be allowed to visit exam centers except those who will have the authority card issued by the relevant examination board.

Bringing mobile phones, smart watches, tablets or any other kind of communication devices to exam centers are strictly prohibited. If such devices are found or recovered from any aspirant, they would be confiscated and will not be returned.

Similarly, if any candidate is found involved in cheating, they would not be allowed to sit in the exams of the remaining papers. In the same way, if any teaching or non-teaching staff members are found involved in facilitating the students with cheating, or if they get involved in malpractices at the exam centers, their services would be dismissed.

The boards and school education department will also issue a strict code of conduct for invigilators, and the department will create a Whatsapp group to keep in touch with the officials of all examination boards. Also, a specific mobile number for general public on which any information regarding cheating, malpractices and unfair means can be reported.

The informer will be awarded and stern action will be taken against the delinquents. For security reasons, police will be requested to deploy more personnel at the examination centers while the home department will implement Section 144 in surrounding areas of exam centers.

Holidays

According to the new academic calendar, the summer vacation will be observed from April 16 to May 30 while winter vacations will be observed from December 12 to December 31, 2020.

The education department has also scheduled as many as 15 other holidays. They are included as Kashmir Day on February 5, Shab-e-Mairaj Day on March 22, Pakistan Day on March 23, Shab-e-Barrat Day on April 9, Labour Day on May 1, Youm-e-Ali on May 14, Shab-e-Qadar on May 20, Eid-ul-Fitr from May 25 to 26 May, Eid-ul-Adha from July 31 to August 1, Independence Day on 14 August, Ashura from August 29 to 30, Shah Abdul Latif Day on October 1, Chehlum in October 7, Eid Millad-un-Nabi Day on October 30 and Quaid-e-Azam Day on December 25, 2020.

In the schedule, it has been mentioned that Eid Millad-un-Nabi, Independence Day, Shah Abdul Latif Day, Pakistan Day, and Kashmir Day will be observed at schools and colleges.