Financial crisis hits Kerala education: SSLC-Plus Two exams in jeopardy due to lack of funds; check details

The education department has issued an order allowing schools to utilize funds allocated for daily expenses in the event of insufficient funds to conduct SSLC - Plus Two examinations.

Thiruvananthapuram: The education department has issued an order allowing schools to utilize funds allocated for daily expenses in the event of insufficient funds to conduct SSLC - Plus Two examinations. This move aims to address financial constraints in organizing the SSLC and higher secondary exams. The order specifies that once funds are received from the government, schools will be reimbursed for the expenses incurred. This initiative seeks to ensure the smooth conduct of examinations despite budgetary challenges.

The examination secretary and director of public education have written to the government, seeking permission to draw money from the PD account for the daily expenses of schools. An order has now been issued permitting this. The permission was given on the condition that the money should be reinvested as soon as it is received. 

Last year, the higher secondary exams incurred expenses of Rs 21 crore, while VHSE exams cost Rs 11 crore, and the SSLC IT exam amounted to Rs 12 crore. This totaled a debt of Rs 44 crore owed to the public education department for examinations conducted during the academic year 2022–23. Despite efforts to address the financial crisis, including several meetings to resolve issues related to printing answer papers, the situation remains unresolved.