Crucial Academic Step

The Secondary Education Examination (SEE), a crucial stage of school students' academic future, has commenced today (Thursday). More than half a million students are appearing in the exam, an increase of 49,286 students compared to the previous year. National Examination Board distributed admission cards to 514,071 students, including 75,500 to those sitting for the partial examination. This year, the number of students attending the partial examinations has increased due to the cancellation of the grading system that existed till 2023. No Grading System allows more students to get through the SEE, considered the Iron Gate for the secondary level students. The National Examination Board (NEB) is putting its best foot forward to conduct the SEE examinations fairly and peacefully. Holding the examination smoothly enhances students' confidence and performance in the exam halls. 

Adequate logistics and effective security arrangements create the necessary environment for the students. Bearing this in mind, the Board has set up 2,075 examination centres across the country and one in Japan. This year the government has made arrangements for those students living with disabilities and HIV positive so that no one is deprived of opportunity of education enshrined in the Constitution as the fundamental rights of the citizens. The NEB has arranged three examination centres for the students living in custody - one each at the Juvenile Correction Centre in Bhaktapur, the Central Jail in Kathmandu and Dailekh Jail in Karnali. Likewise, special arrangements have also been made for students with disabilities. Four HIV-positive students from Saphalta HIV Shiksha Sadan in Kirtipur are participating in the SEE. 

Around 77,800 invigilators will be deployed across all centres with 15 civil police personnel assigned to each exam centre. Approximately 5.4 million question papers have been printed and sent to the district-level educational units in all 77 districts. However, the Madhes Provincial government has said that it will not get involved in this exam process citing that the National Examination Board did not agree to pick the head of the examination centres through lottery system to make the exams fair. The reservation of the provincial government of Madhesh will not affect the exams given that the local bodies have been authorised to oversee secondary-level educations. The centre should hold talks with the government of Madhesh to participate in this important national examination process. 

Undoubtedly, SEE forms a milestone for the academic progress of students as it is the gateway for them to pursue their studies at the +2 level. This also indicates the country's education standard as well as investment in the sector.  There have been growing concerns that secondary education is not up to the mark as shown by last year's SEE results. Only 47.86 per cent of the total students (444,785), who appeared in the 2024 SEE exams, made it. This was quite a disappointing outcome of the SEE exam, which must not be repeated this year. The students, who are carving their new academic journey today, are advised to write the answers to question papers with concentration, confidence, composure and patience.