West Bengal boards propose shifting 2027 Madhyamik exams due to Census
The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education has suggested moving Class 10 exams to March to avoid overlap with Census duties.
The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) has proposed postponing the 2027 Madhyamik examinations from February to March, according to The Indian Express. The proposal suggests moving the Class 10 exams from the original February 15 to 25 schedule to a new window of March 2 to 16, 2027.
WBBSE president Laltu Das said the proposal was submitted because teachers involved in conducting exams will also be required for Census enumeration duties in February. Das stated that nothing has been finalised yet and the proposal was made because teachers would be deployed for the enumeration exercise.
The nationwide Census 2027 is scheduled to run from January 25 to February 28. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India Mritunjay Kumar Narayan had previously requested examination authorities to avoid scheduling major papers before March 18, 2027, to prevent disruption.
The proposed change may also affect the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE). The council is expected to submit a proposal to defer the fourth-semester Higher Secondary examinations, originally set for the first week of March, to a date after Holi.
School Education Minister Dipak Burman confirmed the department has received the Madhyamik proposal and is examining it. A final decision from the state School Education Department is currently awaited.