Bhubaneswar: The Higher Education department Sunday morning clarified that a fabricated letter regarding reopening of colleges and universities in Odisha has been doing rounds on social media, which claims that the educational institutions will reopen February 10.
However, the department has not yet decided to reopen colleges and universities for the time being as was falsely communicated in the fabricated letter. Chief Minister is to take a final call in this regard.
Taking to its Twitter handle, the department wrote, “A fake letter is circulating in social media purportedly conveying decision of Higher Education Department to reopen colleges and universities from 10th Feb’ 2022. It is hereby clarified that no such decision has been taken by the state government.”
It is pertinent to mention here that the state government had earlier announced January 7 the closure of all colleges, universities and technical educational institutions except the medical colleges and nursing colleges including institutions under the control of Health and Family Welfare (H&FW) department from January 10.
On the other hand, students have been demanding cancellation of the Plus II Board Exams in view of prevalent Covid-19 situation.
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Hundreds of Plus II students took out a procession and staged a protest Thursday forenoon at Master Canteen Square in Bhubaneswar demanding cancellation of the annual Board exams.
Odisha government is playing with their future by planning to conduct the Plus II Board Exams even when courses have not yet been completed, many students alleged.
In addition, the Plus II students demanded that the Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) and the government should declare the Plus II Board Exam results as per marks obtained by the students in quarterly exams held by their respective colleges.
Meanwhile, the Director of Higher Secondary Education department Bikash Mohapatra hinted Saturday at the possibilities of conduct of the Plus II Board Exams in offline mode this year.
PNN