The Karnataka government has decided to hold the secondary school leaving certificate (SSLC) aka class 10 examination in the third week of July. However, the state government on Friday cancelled the second year Pre University examinations and the students will be assessed on the basis of their first-year PU marks.

S Suresh Kumar, the Karnataka Education Minister, stated that no one will be marked as failed. "Since we don’t have previous assessment models for these students, it is inevitable for us to somehow evaluate their performance and hence a simple solution has been formulated," the minister told the media on Friday.

The minister also announced a change in the format of the SSLC examination — students will only have two examinations. The first examination will be on core subjects — Science, Mathematics and Social Sciences will be clubbed in one paper and the second examination will be on languages. These papers will consist of 120 multiple-choice questions, with each subject worth 40 points.There will be only one question paper with all three core subjects totaling 120 points. Math, Science, and Social Science will be divided into three sections. The examination would take place on a specific day between 10.30 and 1.30 p.m. for three hours.

There would be a three-day gap between each examination. Model question papers will be made available to students prior to their exams. According to the minister, grades will be assigned as A, B, and C based on the marks.

The new dates for the SSLC exams, as well as the timetable, will be announced 20 days before the exam. Students who are unable to take exams due to COVID-19 will be tested at a later date. Students will be given N95 masks at the examination centre, and the government will ensure that SOPs are followed, according to Karnataka Education Minister S Suresh Kumar.

SSLC exams will be held in 6,000 examination centres across Karnataka, and the state will be accommodating requests from migrant students and hostel dwellers to change their allotted centres. Only 12 students per room will be allowed, and each desk will only have one student. At least a six foot distance will be maintained between each student, the minister said. The government also stated that all teachers involved in examination work will be required to be vaccinated.