Haryana board for Class-8 exams in all schools, but minister says decision withdrawn

Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 12

When it comes to the Class VIII examination in Haryana, the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing or so it seems.

While the Haryana School Education Board (HSEB) is readying to conduct Class VIII examinations in all schools in the state irrespective of their board affiliations from next year, Education Minister Kanwar Pal Gujjar maintains that the decision has already been shelved.

Confusion prevails

• HSEB issues circular to bring all schools, irrespective of their board affiliations, under its ambit
• Education Minister Kanwar Pal Gujjar, however, asserts the decision has been shelved

Meanwhile, under pressure from the HSEB to “fall in line” and provide student-related data, the owners of the schools affiliated to boards other than the HSEB are up in arms and ready to drag the state board to court for imposing “dual affiliation” on them.

Trouble began when the HSEB recently initiated the first step to bring all schools under its ambit. Through a circular to the schools on December 8, it asked them to upload student-related data on its portal. “We have, so far, only asked schools to provide data of students up to Class VIII. We haven’t asked for any affiliation fee so far,” said HSEB chairman Jagbir Singh.

Vice-chairman VP Yadav explained that the HSEB would affiliate these schools up to Class VIII and is well within its right to conduct the examinations since the other boards conduct examinations at the secondary level. “We have taken the Centre’s clarification on this. Also, the rules clearly state that admissions up to Class VIII will be regulated by the governments where the school is located. We are preparing to hold the Class VIII exams for the students of all schools except Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas,” he explains.

While the HSEB is working on a war footing to be ready to conduct examinations in March 2022, the minister, when contacted, categorically said the order had been withdrawn.

“The decision to hold Class VIII examinations was taken by the government last year. We reviewed it in the light of the new education policy which makes no mention of the Class VIII exam. Also, how can we conduct examinations for schools affiliated to other boards? That order has been withdrawn and Class VIII exams will not be held at all and certainly not for schools affiliated to other boards,” Gujjar emphasised.

Progressive Private School Association president Anil Kaushik said: “We will approach the court since the HSEB is being unreasonable. It wants to mint money by forcing us to take affiliation, it will charge enrolment fee and then exam fee. The CBSE or any other board does not allow dual affiliation.”

Sources in the Education Department said the decision to revoke the order on holding Class VIII examinations had been brought to the notice of the Chief Minister as well.