Tamil Nadu schools barred from holding special classes during quarterly exam holidays

The Tamil Nadu School Education Department has instructed headteachers not to hold special classes during the quarterly examination holidays, warning that they will be held responsible if the directive is breached and an untoward incident occurs.

Students following the state syllabus are taking their quarterly examinations from September 16 to 25. Schools of all categories have been granted a break from September 26 to October 4.

The department’s instruction is aimed at ensuring that students get time away from regular classes after the examinations, rather than spending the holiday back at school for additional lessons.

The warning is particularly relevant to students in Classes 10 and 12, for whom schools have held special classes during quarterly breaks in the past. Headteachers have now been told not to arrange such sessions during the announced holiday period.

The department has made clear that a headteacher would bear full responsibility if classes are conducted in violation of the instructions and any untoward incident takes place. The circular also sets out what teachers should do before the break.

Subject teachers have been asked to advise students to write answers to assignment question papers during the holidays. They have also been told to guide students to study one subject each day.

These directions allow pupils to continue their preparation at home without being called to school for special classes.

The department has also stated that students should not undertake trips during the break, according to the instructions.

The quarterly examinations and the subsequent holiday follow a set schedule this year: the last examination is due on September 25, with the break beginning the following day and continuing until October 4.

For examination classes, instruction means that revision during the break is to be guided through assignments and daily study advice, rather than classroom sessions arranged by schools.

Headteachers must ensure that staff follow the holiday directive, while subject teachers can give students a plan for independent study. The department said the order at government schools is intended to ease the pressure on pupils after their examinations. The warning to headteachers underlines that the declared holiday must be observed even where schools would ordinarily schedule extra coaching for board examination students.

(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by Education Post)