Students fret as 12th class board exams clash with Maratha rally

Students slated to appear for Std XII state board examinations this year have more to worry about than their studies. Maratha Kranti Morcha has planned a statewide protest on March 6, which is clashing with their exam date

Maratha Kranti Morcha members during a mega rally in Mumbai; (below) in Nagpur. Representation pics

Students slated to appear for Std XII state board examinations this year have more to worry about than their studies. Maratha Kranti Morcha has planned a statewide protest on March 6, which is clashing with their exam date. While government authorities insist there’s little to worry about, stress is building up among students and their parents.

Maharashtra state board has scheduled two papers -- mathematics and statistics -- for Std XII students from 11 am to 2 pm and Hindi language paper from 3 pm to 6 pm on March 6.

The rally on March 6 seeks to underscore the community's demands for reservations for Maratha people. The event is expected to cause massive traffic snarls in the Dadar area. Kirti College Std XII student Riddhi Ranade, who lives in Ghatkopar, said, "Since my institute is in Dadar, I’ll have to pass through Dadar, where the rally is usually at its worst on such days. I can’t afford to be late on exam day."

Rashmi Malode, mother of a student from Borivli, said, "We are praying that there's more clarity about the rally and the exam schedule and also government’s measures to check any disruptions in the city on March. Students are already fretting about their subjects, they don’t need added stress."

Apparently, Maratha Kranti Morcha members met the education minister recently requesting him to tweak the exam schedule to ensure students are not inconvenienced. A member of the organisation’s Mumbai chapter said, "We met the education minister and requested him to postpone or reschedule the paper. The government may take a call after the civic elections."

When contacted, Maharashtra State Board (MSB) chairman, Gangadhar Mamhane, said, "We have not received any official communication regarding the rally yet. Depending on the nature of the protest rallies, we may take a call. Students and parents should refrain from worrying. Exams are of utmost importance and, if need be, we will make appropriate changes or alternative arrangements for the benefit of students."

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