The Maharashtra government has declared a public holiday on Monday, January 22, 2024, for the Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya, schools and colleges across the state are set to remain closed.
However, Lilavatibai Podar High School in Santacruz, has scheduled Grade 10 Prelims exams for the same date as part of their ongoing examination, as bought to the attention of The Free Press Journal by 'Mind Faces' - the College Community, that helps 10th and 12th std students with their concerns, queries and admissions.
Official Message To Parents
An official message to the parents from the school principal Mrs. Sheila Alexander instructed students to report for the exam at 06:50 am on Monday.
The notice read, "The Preliminary Examination for Grade 10 students scheduled on Monday, 22nd January, 2024, will be conducted as scheduled."
The notice further urged the students to return home immediately after the completion of the exam, with parents handling drop-off and pick-up.
Students Urge For Holiday
Students from the school spoke to The Free Press Journal off the record stating that it is unfair that they have to take exams when the rest of the schools have a day off. They are particularly piqued with attending school in the early hours.
The FPJ reached out to the Lilavatibai Podar High School via messages and phone calls but they went unanswered. The official confirmation from the school is still awaited.
Official Notice To The Parents Issued By The School. |
Educators Support The Decision
While many students and parents of the schools resent the school’s decision, some educators outside the schools think it is professional for the school to go ahead with the exams keeping the academic goal in mind and doing its bit to not disrupt the schedule.
The Free Press Journal contacted various schools in Mumbai to know their plans. Vibgyor Roots and Rise (Malad) opted to postpone its ongoing exams and rescheduled the paper initially set for Monday, declaring a holiday.
Several schools, including St. Stanislaus High School (Bandra), Anjuman I Islam's Begum Sharifa Kalsekar Girls' English High School (Mumbai Central), VIBGYOR High School (Goregaon), St. Anne's High School & Jr. College (Colaba), Podar International School (Mira Road), and Anjuman I Islam Khalifa Ziauddin Girl's Primary School (Mahim), among others, have declared a holiday on Monday, aligning with the public holiday declared by the Maharashtra government.
Apart from Maharashtra, other states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Haryana, and Puducherry, have also declared a public holiday on January 22, 2024.
