Bengaluru, October 2: Students in all government and aided schools in Karnataka were compelled to take their mid-term exams without any prior classes, as teachers have been engaged in Special Intensive Revision (SIR) duties for the past three months. This situation has left many students struggling to understand the question papers.
The School Education and Literacy Department’s schedule indicated that the mid-term exams, known as SA-1, concluded on September 30, and schools will remain closed for Dasara holidays from October 3 to 21. Teachers assigned to SIR duties have expressed that conducting exams under such circumstances is unjust.
A teacher involved in SIR duties stated, “At least high school teachers should have been exempted from SIR, as the 10th grade is crucial.” Some students had requested their teachers to return to school after the timetable was announced, but the teachers are bound by their assigned duties.
Students have also voiced their concerns, noting that they found the question papers confusing due to the absence of classes. One student mentioned, “I struggled with the English and Math exams because there were no classes.” Another added, “I managed to answer a few questions related to last year’s syllabus, but most questions were beyond what we had been taught.”
With no classes being held, students have resorted to studying through free online classes on platforms like YouTube. A student from a government-aided high school shared, “I studied from YouTube, which helped me a bit in the exams. For the last three months, we have only been going to school to mark attendance, as there are no teachers present.”
Parents are also feeling the pressure, with many resorting to private tuition for their children. One parent remarked, “My daughter couldn’t participate in the assessments because there were no classes. She is in the 10th grade, so I have encouraged her to take private tuition during the holidays, even though it’s financially challenging.”
Students have requested their schools to conduct assessments again in December when their teachers return, suggesting that the December exam scores should be considered. Some schools have hired guest teachers to ensure that students’ education is not adversely affected.
It is noteworthy that the SIR process in Karnataka began on June 30, 2026, and will continue until the final voter list is completed by October 27, 2026.