Students in quake-hit areas get promotion without exam

By Manas Dasgupta

GANDHINAGAR, FEB. 27. The Gujarat Government today cancelled the final examinations for Class I to Class IX and XI in the earthquake-hit areas of the State.

The board examinations for the secondary and higher secondary certificates would be held from April 3. But the students in the quake-hit areas have been given the option of appearing in the second examinations to be held a month later.

The decision to promote the students contradicts the claims made by the Education Minister, Ms. Anandiben Patel, earlier that no mass promotion would be given despite the quake.

Ms. Patel, however, said the promotions to the students in the next higher class would be given on the basis of performance in the first two terminal examinations which were conducted in most schools before the quake hit Kutch and other parts of the State on January 26. But academicians believe it would be as good as mass promotion since it would be unfair to fail some students on the basis of the last two examinations without giving them a chance to qualify.

The `no-examination' criterion would be applicable only in Kutch, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Surendranagar and Patan districts and Ahmedabad city which were worst affected, and academic activities affected for a month.

The situation has started improving. Many people have started returning to their routine life and have reoccupied the flats they had deserted.

Aftershocks reduced

Exactly a month after the devastating quake, the number of aftershocks have drastically reduced. While nearly 300 aftershocks shook most parts of the State in the last one month, only three tremors were recorded since midnight last night and all were below four on the Richter scale. In Ahmedabad, the district collector, Mr. K. Srinivasan, said officials were contacting those who had lost their houses to hand over the first installment of 40 per cent of the Rs 1.75 lakh Government assistance announced.

A final decision, however, is still awaited for relocation or reconstruction of houses in the four worst-hit towns in Kutch district.

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