Following protests from Class 10 students across Odisha demanding for the cancellation of the Class 10 board exams 2021, the Odisha government on Wednesday announced the cancellation of the annual Matric examinations 2021.

“In view of the upsurge of Covid-19 pandemic situation, the Class-X examination conducted by BSE, Odisha scheduled to be held from May 3, 2021 has been cancelled,” announced School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash today.

Samir Ranjan Dash while briefing the media, said that as per the directions of the chief minister on April 15, meetings were held with all the stakeholders of the School and Mass Education Department. Keeping in view the upsurge of the pandemic situation of Covid-19, the Class 10 board exam conducted by Board of Secondary Education (BSE) scheduled to be held from May 3 and all examinations of Odisha State Board of Madrasa Education scheduled to be held from May 19 are hereby cancelled.

Odisha Matric students can appear for exam if dissatisfied with result

The results of the Class 10 will be published as per the criterion prepared by the respective boards. In case of any disagreement with the results, students will be given chance for examination only after any improvement in the Covid-19 pandemic situation, said Dash.

Students’ protest to cancel board exam

Notably, the decision by state government came in the wake of hundreds of students from various government-run high schools gathering and meeting School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash at his residence in Bhubaneswar urging him to clear the confusion surrounding the conduction of the Matric exam 2021 amidst the steep rise in single-day Covid-19 cases in the state.

Failing to get any clarity, the student protestors later moved towards Naveen Niwas to put forth their demand before Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Unable to meet him, the agitating students later had staged a dharna on the road at Forest Park.

Student Congress (NSUI) leader Alym Mohammed who had earlier demanded cancellation of the Matric exam and the Madrasa board exam amidst the steep rise in Covid-19 cases in the state welcomed the move by the state government on the cancelation of the board exams.

Class 10 students on Wednesday staged a protest in front of the Mayurbhanj district collector’s office seeking a cancellation of the annual Matric Examinations 2021.