The Odisha government has decided to promote students from Class I to Class VIII to the next class without conducting examinations as their studies were hampered due to the corona pandemic which led to the suspension of classes almost throughout the academic year.

Minister, school and mass education, Samir Ranjan Dash on Saturday said: “All students from Class I to Class VIII will be declared as having passed. Due to the Covid-19 situation, they will be given promotion without appearing for the examination. It’s not possible to hold an examination as there were no regular classes during the whole year because of the Covid-19.”

Dash said last year, too, the students had been declared as passed and the practice will continue this year.

“However, our teachers are taking online classes and ensuring that their studies are not affected,” Dash said.

However, examinations for the students of Class IX will be conducted offline this year. “Our teachers are taking the offline classes for students of Class IX, Class X, XI and XII.

All of them will appear for the examination off line,” the minister said.

In view of the Covid situation, the state government has decided not to reopen schools from April.

“All decisions with regard to opening of schools will be taken after June,” Dash said.

Meanwhile, the total number of Covid-19 cases has reached 3,38,121 in Odisha with surfacing of 65 new cases. The number of active cases in the state stands at 651 while 3,35,499 patients have recovered from the disease.