Council publishes topics for West Bengal Higher Secondary 2021 practical exams

The topics for the Higher Secondary (HS) 2021 practical exams have been announced by the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education even as the state government remains silent on holding practical classes on campus for Class XII students.

The HS 2021 practical exams are to be held between March 10 and March 31. Schools can choose from a list of topics shared by the HS Council on its website or can click here to view the same.

With just 40 days left for the exams, teachers have urged school education minister Partha Chatterjee to consider reopening schools at least for practicals.

“It is true that the teachers have tried to explain everything in online classes and through WhatsApp. But how can students taking board exams take their practical exams without attending a single practical class throughout the year? We are urging our education minister to consider the situation and allow reopening of schools in West Bengal, at least for Class XII students of the science stream. Just 40 days are left for the exams to begin. If we start now in small groups, we can follow all COVID-safety protocol and help students attend 3-4 practical classes. Or else, we do not know how we can justify asking the students to take the practical exams,” said Saugat Basu, the general secretary of the West Bengal Government School Teachers Association.

Subjects such as geography, statistics, physics, chemistry, nutrition and biological sciences require lab-based practical as well as project work. Thirty marks are allotted for lab work and project work in these subjects, while 20 marks are allotted for project work in other subjects.

West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee recently said schools would reopen in the state when the situation is feasible. “We will take the decision of reopening of school campuses at the appropriate time,” he had said.

CBSE, ICSE and other state boards will be releasing Class X and XII board exam date sheets soon. CBSE has already announced that its Class X and XII practical exams will begin from March 1 and the written exams will be conducted from May 4 to June 10. CBSE schools in the state, too, have been waiting for offline classes to resume.

The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), which holds ISC and ICSE board exams, had written to all chief ministers to allow schools to reopen partially for students of Classes X and XII from January 4.