Not a single student got infected during Karnataka SSLC exams: Minister

Bengaluru, July 04: The Karnataka Education Minister Suresh Kumar on Saturday denied reports that 32 students, who sat for the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examinations in the state, had tested positive for coronavirus.

"The news that 32 students who wrote SSLC exam have tested positive is not true. All those students who were found positive have denied writing the exam and they have been assured that they will be allowed to write the supplementary exam and they will be treated as freshers," said minister Suresh Kumar.

Earlier it was reported that 32 students who sat for the SSLC examinations in Karnataka had tested positive for coronavirus.

The Karnataka SSLC Examinations were held between June 25 and July 3 this year amid a lot of opposition from both public and the parents.

An average of about 98 per cent of 8.5 lakh odd enrolled students took the exams which began on June 25, after the government stuck to its decision to go ahead with them despite rising coronavirus cases but laid down a string of safety measures, including face masks and maintaining distancing by seating only one student a bench.

The Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board, which conducted the examination, faced various challenges. While protecting students from coronavirus infection was the top priority, transportation, security and convincing the parents to allow their children to take up the exam were the other factors it encountered.

The exams were conducted at a time when there was a sudden spurt in coronavirus cases in Karnataka, especially Bengaluru. Expressing apprehension, former chief minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy had appealed to the government to postpone the examination but the government went ahead with its decision.