Staff & Students From Containment Zones Will Not Be Allowed In Exams: Union Health Ministry

New Delhi: The staff and students from containment or red zones will not be allowed to enter the examination venue, as per Union Health and Welfare Ministry’s latest guidelines on conducting exams during the COVID-19 pandemic.

There will be alternative arrangements for such students. The government will allow them to take the exam through other mediums or educational institutions shall schedule their papers at a later date.

MHA circulated a list of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the conduction of on-site exams (physical mode). It is also necessary for the invigilator to sanitise hands before and after the distribution of the question papers.

The guidelines are:

1. The invigilator for physical exams has to sanitise his/her hands before distributing question papers and answer sheets and the students are required to do the same before receiving or handing back these materials.

2. The use of spit/saliva for counting and distributing sheets shall not be allowed. The collection and packing of the answer sheets will involve the sanitisation of the hands at every stage.

3. Staff at high risks such as older employees, pregnant women and those with underlying diseases shall not be deployed for invigilation.

4. For computer-based exams, the systems shall be disinfected using alcohol wipes before and after the test.

5. The students from coronavirus containment zones shall be allowed to take the physical exam through other means or educational institutions shall arrange their papers at a later date.