Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
With tensions escalating across parts of the Middle East, the Kerala government has deferred the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) and Higher Secondary (+2) examinations scheduled at Gulf centres, placing student safety above all other considerations.
The decision comes as travel disruptions, security concerns, and regional instability threaten the smooth conduct of exams for thousands of Kerala students abroad.
V Sivankutty, Kerala’s Education Minister, announced that the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examination slated for March 5 and the Higher Secondary examinations scheduled for March 5, 6, and 7 in Gulf centres have been put on hold.
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With the conflict intensifying in the Middle East, conducting examinations in the Gulf region has become a major challenge, the minister said, adding that the exams have been postponed and revised dates will be announced later, as reported by ANI.
A total of 4,17,497 students are set to appear for the SSLC examination this academic year across 3,031 centres. The exams will commence on March 5 and conclude on March 30.
Out of the total candidates, 633 students have registered at seven examination centres in the Gulf region. In comparison, 386 students will write the exams at nine centres in Lakshadweep, in addition to the large number of students appearing across Kerala.
WHAT SHOULD AFFECTED STUDENTS DO NOW?
Minister V Sivankutty has called on students who are unable to reach their examination centres due to travel disruptions to take swift action.
He directed such students to submit applications at the earliest through their class teachers or school principals to the Director of General Education. Assuring a compassionate approach, the Minister said each case would be reviewed individually, and decisions would be taken in the students’ best interests.
Acknowledging the anxiety among students in both the Gulf and Kerala, he reiterated that the Department of General Education remains committed to supporting and standing by the affected children.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The Kerala government is expected to announce revised examination dates once conditions stabilise. Officials are closely monitoring the situation in Gulf countries to ensure that any rescheduling guarantees student safety and a fair opportunity.
The postponement of SSLC plus two examinations in Gulf centres underscores how global conflicts can directly impact the lives of students thousands of miles away. As tensions continue to simmer in West Asia, Kerala’s education authorities have chosen caution over uncertainty, prioritising student welfare above all.
For now, anxious families await fresh dates, hoping for stability in a region where escalating conflict has unexpectedly interrupted academic milestones.
– Ends
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
