Pope Francis celebrates Christmas Eve Mass after year of peace pleas

New Delhi, Jun 16: The class 10 and 12 students of the CICSE board can choose not to appear for pending board exams and be marked as per their performance in pre-board exams or internal assessment, according to top officials.

The board had also submitted the proposal before the Bombay High Court on Monday in response to a petition filed by a parent seeking directions to the authorities to cancel exams in view of the spike in COVID-19 cases.

According to Gerry Arathoon, Chief Executive and Secretary, Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), the students will have to communicate their option to their respective schools by June 22.

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The exams which were postponed due to the lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus, are now scheduled to be conducted from July 1 to 14. However, several parents have been demanding the exams be scrapped.

"The students will be given two options---they either appear for the rescheduled exams or choose to have their results based on their performance in the pre-board exams or internal assessment. The option will be available only for the pending exams, the result of the subjects for which exams were already conducted, will be calculated as per performance in the exam only," Arathoon said.

The board also clarified that the students will not be entitled to make a subject-wise choice between the two options for pending exams.

Unlike the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), which will only be conducting exams in 29 subjects crucial for promotion and admission to higher educational institutions, the CISCE will be conducting all pending exams.

The pending CBSE exams are scheduled from July 1 to 15. The schedule for the board exams has been decided in order to ensure that they are completed before competitive examinations. While the engineering entrance exam JEE-Mains is scheduled to be held from July 18 to 23, the medical entrance exam NEET is scheduled for July 26.

While the CBSE has given the option to not appear for pending board exams for differently-abled students, it has canceled the examinations for its around 250 schools situated abroad and has adopted the criteria of awarding marks on the basis of either practical exams conducted or the internal assessment marks.

Coronavirus India update: State-wise total number of confirmed cases, deaths on June 16

A group of parents has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the CBSE to declare results on the basis of tests already conducted, and calculate the total on an average basis with internal assessment marks of the remaining subjects.

Universities and schools across the country have been shut since March 16, when the Centre announced a countrywide classroom shut down as part of measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. A nationwide lockdown was announced on March 24, which came into effect the next day.

While the government has eased several restrictions, schools and colleges continue to remain closed.

According to Home Ministry guidelines, there will be no exam centres in containment zones.

"Wearing of face masks by teachers, staff and students will be mandatory. There shall be provisions of thermal screening and sanitiser at the centres and social distancing rules will have to be followed at exam centres. Special buses may be arranged by states and UTs for transportation of students to exam centres," the Home Ministry has said.

Mangaluru, Feb 1: Rotary Club of Mangalore city team represented by Rtn. Dr. Ranjan Rao and Rtn. Sumith Rao duo bagged the 14th Annual prestigious Rotary Quiz Trophy by securing 380 points. The Rotary Club of Vijayanagar Mysore represented by  Rtn. H.M. Harish secured 370 points and was declared runners up.

Rotary Club of Mangaluru central as a part of Rotary movement awareness campaign conducted their 14th Annual “Dist. Level Inter Club Rotary Quiz”  contest on Friday 31.01.2020 at Hotel Ocean Pearl Hall, Mangaluru. The Quiz was based exclusively on Rotary related affairs, matters and issues.

Chamarajnagar City based Eminent Pediatrician and Rotary past Dist. Governor Rtn. Dr.R. Nagarajun  graced the occasion as Chief Guest, in is address he lauded the  invaluable contributions of Dr. Rai to the Rotary Movement and congratulated on his achievements.  Later he awarded the Rotary Glittering Trophy, Certificates and Cash prizes of R.3,000 to the Winners and Runners up and congratulated them on their unique achievements.

13 Teams from Mangaluru, Bykampady, Panamburu, Deralaktte, Puttur, Mysore, participated in this contest. Rtn. Dr. Devdas Rai was the Quiz Master and officiated the closely contested  quiz contest. Asst. Governor Zone-2  Rtn. Geethanand Pai was the guest of honour he released the weekly club news bulletin “Centor”. Club President Rtn. Dr. Jayaprakash Poonja presided over the function. Secretary Rtn. K.M. Hegde presented the monthly report. Rtn. Prakash Chandra proposed the vote of thanks.  The event was sponsored by Chairman and Managing Director of Athena Hospital Rtn. Raviraj Shettiyan and Eminent Chartered Accountant C.A. Nithin Shetty.

Bengaluru, Jan 22: Karnataka home minister Basavaraj Bommai today refused to respond when a journalist asked him why Aditya Rao, who was arrested on charge of planting bomb at Mangaluru International Airport, can’t be called a terrorist.

Responding to another query of another journalist on the sidelines of a private program, here, Mr Bommai said all airports in the state would soon have bomb disposal squads.

"After the Mangaluru airport bomb incident, a thought has been given to establishing bomb disposal squads near airports in the state. Hubballi and Kalburgi airports too will have them," he said.

He said, Aditya Rao resident of Udupi who has been in a frustrated state for not getting employment and earlier too arrested for hoax calls surrendered at the DGP office in Bengaluru on Wednesday. The Mangaluru police will take him into custody for investigations, he added.

Despite the suspect surrendering to the police, investigations into the case will continue, he said.

He further added, 'Irrespective of the organisations the accused belongs to, he will be punished.”

Explosives used in the Mangaluru airport bomb have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis and investigation. National Security Guards too were collecting details, he stated.

He then went on to slam Opposition parties over Mangaluru Airport bomb incident. “State police, on getting information about the suspected bag, had acted swiftly and diffused it. The opposition has resorted to politics and using the incident to appease minorities,” he said.

He also termed that the statements made by the opposition would instigate anti-national elements.