Andhra Pradesh cancels SSC, Inter exams
VIJAYAWADA: Ending a long anxious wait, the Andhra Pradesh government on Thursday announced cancellation of Class 10 and Intermediate second year (Class 12) examinations. The decision comes within hours of the Supreme Court bench expressing its dissatisfaction over the adamant stand of the state government in deciding to conduct the examinations in the last week of July, while many states had done away with the examinations.
At a high-level meeting, chaired by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, minister for education Adimulapu Suresh and higher officials of the education department explained about the apex court directions and it was decided to cancel both exams.
Addressing a press meet later, Suresh said that the court had ordered that all the states should declare the examination results by July 31, which was impossible as Andhra Pradesh would take 45 days to evaluate the exam papers. He announced that the government would appoint a high-power committee to look into the announcement of results and awarding of marks.
Meanwhile, Telugu Desam MLC Nara Lokesh termed the decision as a victory for students, parents and teachers after their relentless agitation demanding cancellation.
He said that it was after a two-month agitation that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had relented and cancelled the exams. CPI state secretary K. Ramakrishna also welcomed the government's decision.