Education Minister Punjab Dr Daljit Singh Cheema today held a meeting with CEOs and District Education Officers to review the arrangements of ensuing board examinations.Presiding over the meeting here at Punjab Education Board complex, Dr Cheema asked the officers to make concerted efforts for checking the menace of copying by identifying sensitive centres across the state. He said that DEOs were fully free for taking any stringent action to check copying. Dr Cheema said that the department was with the DEOs and they should take the decisions impartially. He said that in order to impart quality education, copying free examination was very important and it was a challenging task for the department to check this menace.The education Minister said that the department was facing a twin challenge this time as along with board exam of 10th and 12 th, it was for the first time conducting exams for fifth and eighth class through SCERT. He said that this year around 12 lakh students would appear for four exams in month of February and March, due to which every officer/official of the department has to discharge his duty diligently. Dr Cheema asked the board and department to issue a helpline number so that flying squads could be pressed into action wherever and whenever required. Dr Cheema said that apart from regular checking teams at level of board, DGSE, DPIs and CEO must be constituted to keep a strict vigil.
The Minister said students must be encouraged for fifth exams and officers must visit the examination centers to extend best wishes to the students. Dr Cheema said that he would personally visit such centers during examination to motivate the students.Taking part in deliberations Principal Secretary Education Dr G Vajralingam said that strict action would be taken against staff indulging in copying. He said that department would write letter to all the Deputy Commissioners to seek their help for checking this menace.Chairperson of PSEB apprised the Minister that over 4 lakh students would appear for 10th and over 3 lakh in 12th class examination for which 2671 centers have established. She said exams for tenth would be conducted from March 4-19 and that of twelfth from February 20 to March 14.
Director General School Education Mr Pardeep Kumar Aggarwal said that in order to make students stress free the department has launched 104 helpline for early resolution of their every problem. He said that experts would give tips to students for stress management. Mr Aggarwal said that keeping in view the exams the department has also launched a Web portal where every query of students would be answered within 48 hours.Earlier Secretary of board Engineer GS Bath thanked the Minister for sparing his valuable time for this meeting, which would motivate the officers to perform well. On the occasion Directors of department Mrs Manjeet Kaur and Mrs Navneet Kaur apprised the CEOs about important directions. Prominent amongst other present on the occasion included DPIs Mr BS Dhol and Mr HS Sandhu, DEO Mr Mewa Singh and others.