Matric re-exam from April 17

CUTTACK: Seven days after the question paper theft forced scrapping of the annual High School Certificate (HSC) examinations, the Board of Secondary Education (BSE) on Tuesday announced new dates for re-examinations.  The rescheduled examinations would now be held from April 17 to 26.Students would appear for seven papers, including Second Language English, exam for which though had been completed would be held again on account of the theft.The re-examinations would be held with a gap of a day each between important papers as English, Hindi/Sanskrit, Maths and Science. Exam for Second Language English would be held on April 17, Third Language Hindi/Sanskrit on April 19 and Maths on April 21. The two papers of Science would be held on April 23 and 24 while the two papers of Social Science would follow on April 25 and 26, BSE President Dr Satyakam Mishra announced.With students and parents getting edgy over the uncertainty over the rescheduling of examinations, the BSE was racing against time to get the fresh time-table ready. More than five lakh students are set to take the re-examinations.The fresh set of question papers have been readied and in the process of being printed. They would be despatched to the examination centres in time. Once bitten twice shy, the Board is leaving nothing to chance this time. Stringent measures would be taken to ensure full protection and security at the centres before and during the examinations, officials said.The Board is, however, in a fix over declaration of results in time. With the School and Mass Education Minister Pratap Jena committing in the Assembly to make all efforts to publish the results by June 30 so as to facilitate admissions in Plus Two  in time, Secretary Rajesh Verma has directed the BSE authorities to ensure compliance.Sources in the BSE, though, expressed hope that the results would be declared during that time by making some changes in the evaluation process.