While private schools managed to conduct online classes during the closure, government school students were left without any such option. The result, many say, is a widening gap in preparedness.
A Class 8 student from a Government Senior Secondary School summed up the anxiety. "We are not ready to sit for the exams. First, schools were closed due to the floods, and before that half of the time went into Mission Samrath. It would have been better if the exams were postponed because these marks will count for our final assessments," the student said.
Teacher unions, too, have voiced strong objections. Jagjit Singh Mann, district president of the Government Teachers Union, said, "For primary classes, exams are scheduled from September 23. It is definitely challenging because the final testing phase of Mission Samrath is still pending. The syllabus for exams is not fully covered, which will create problems for both teachers and students."
The government had ordered holidays from August 27 to September 7 in all schools after floods battered several parts of the state. Though the safety of students and staff was the priority, the interruption further squeezed academic time.
Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, district president of the Lecturer Cadre Union, pointed out that exams for upper primary classes will continue till October 1. "The floods were unavoidable, and holidays were necessary. But the syllabus should have been reduced to match what was actually taught. That way, students could attempt the exams with confidence," he said. He added that teachers made efforts to bridge the gap by staying in touch with students through WhatsApp groups and teaching them as much as possible remotely.
Though a few primary schools initially remained shut for extra days due to waterlogging, officials confirmed that all are now functional. Deputy district education officer (elementary) Manoj Kumar said, "All schools are ready to accommodate students for their mid-term exams."