The government and aided schools are splitting students into groups for the higher secondary practical exams, which start on Tuesday, to ensure the physical distancing norm is maintained.
A teacher at Uttarpara Government High School said each group at their institution would consist of “bare minimum students” and the exams would be held for a longer duration than usual to accommodate multiple batches.
At Jadavpur Vidyapith, too, the exams will be held over an extended period.
At Chetla Girls’ High School, students of home management will take the exams sitting in four rooms. The subject draws a large number of students every year.
School heads said that though Covid cases were falling, they were not taking any chances because the pandemic was still on.
At Uttarpara Government High School, students of physics and chemistry have been split into two groups of 21 each. Each group in geography and statistics has 15 and four students, respectively.
The groups in each subject will appear in the practical exams on separate days.
Tapan Kumar Samanta, headmaster of the school, said although splitting the examinees into small groups was a standard practice, this year they had reduced the group size further in subjects like physics, chemistry and computer application to ensure the physical distancing norm is maintained.
Rajendra Nath Mandal, teacher-in-charge of Jadavpur Vidyapith, said they would hold the practical exams from February 15 to 24.
“We have to exercise caution because the pandemic is not over yet. The teachers split the students into groups when in-person classes resumed on November 16. The parents have been told to observe their children if they run a temperature or feel unwell and stay in touch with the school authorities,” said Mondal.
Satyabati Nadkar, headmistress of Chetla Girls School, said the students of home management would take the practical exams in four classes. “In other subjects, the student count is lesser,” she said.
The HS theory papers will be held in April.