West Bengal may defer Class 10 and 12 exams due to Census
The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education has proposed moving the 2027 Madhyamik examinations to March to avoid clashes with Census duties.
The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) has submitted a proposal to the state School Education Department to delay the 2027 Madhyamik examinations by approximately 15 days, according to The Indian Express.
The Madhyamik exams, which were originally set for February 15 to February 25, 2027, may now run from March 2 to March 16. This follows a request from Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India Mritunjay Kumar Narayan to avoid scheduling major exams before March 18, 2027, as the second phase of the nationwide Census involves house-to-house field enumeration from January to March 1, 2027.
The WBBSE stated that conducting exams in February would cause administrative and logistical difficulties because teachers will be busy with Census work. The Board noted that the revised schedule aims to protect students' academic interests and ensure timely results without affecting competitive examinations.
The West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) is also expected to propose deferring the Class 12 fourth semester examinations until after Holi. This would move the exams from their initial schedule in the first week of March.
School Education Minister Dipak Burman said that the proposal has been received and is being considered, but nothing has been finalised yet.