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Ludhiana: Educators concerned as exam dates clash with tour schedule

By, Ludhiana
Jan 19, 2025 10:54 PM IST

Over 1,100 Class 11 science students from the state, including 95 from Ludhiana, will participate in six-day exposure visits between January 18 and February 15

The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Punjab, has launched an initiative to send Class XI science students on six-day out-of-state exposure visits between January 18 and February 15. While the programme aims to enhance students’ knowledge by visiting scientific and historical sites in Delhi, Jaipur, and Ahmedabad, its timing has sparked criticism from educators across the state.

The students will visit scientific and historical sites in Delhi, Jaipur and Ahmedabad. (HT Photo)
The students will visit scientific and historical sites in Delhi, Jaipur and Ahmedabad. (HT Photo)

The trips will involve 1,140 students from across the state, selected based on their Class 10 exam performance.

Five students will be chosen from each block in 23 districts, including 95 students from Ludhiana district. However, the timing of the initiative has drawn criticism from educators, who say that the trips are scheduled during the academic period. Pre-board and term-end exams are currently underway, which will conclude on January 30, and final exams for Class 11 students are set to begin in February, raising concerns about the impact on students’ academic performance.

Ramandeep Singh, a lecturer from the School of Eminence, Doraha, highlighted the challenges posed by the timing of these trips.

“A few years ago, when the academic session started in June and exams were held in March or April, such activities were feasible,” Singh said.

“Now, with finals scheduled for February, these trips are impractical. Term-end exams are crucial for Class 11 students as they prepare for their finals. A well-structured academic calendar is needed to ensure that December, January, and February are dedicated to academic focus,” Singh added.

Singh also pointed out an additional concern, noting that the district-level seminar for teachers, which typically follows the state seminar, will further add to the burden on teachers during this period. The three-day state-level seminar concluded on January 16.

Parmod Kumar Joshi, a physics lecturer at Government Senior Secondary School, Khanpur, acknowledged the potential educational benefits of the trips but also criticised their timing.

“This is a commendable initiative, but it should not coincide with exam days. These trips can be scheduled at any other time of the year,” he said.

Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, the state finance secretary of the Lecturer Cadre Union, echoed similar concerns, urging that this period should be left free for exam preparations.

“Teachers are already overburdened with non-academic activities throughout the year. At least this period should be left for students to prepare for their exams,” Dhillon said.

Many educators are worried that these out-of-state trips during exam season could disrupt students’ preparation, potentially affecting their performance in their final exams. Teachers are calling for a more structured academic calendar to avoid such conflicts in the future.

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