Annual Examination 2025: Mid-Day Meal to Continue Under PM Poshan Scheme, Strict Measures for a Malpractice-Free Exam and Other Important Updates

Patna/Muzaffarpur/Gopalganj, March 6, 2025: The annual examination for Classes 1 to 8 in government and government-aided primary schools in Bihar is set to begin on March 10 and will continue until March 20. During this period, the mid-day meal scheme under the PM Poshan Yojana will also remain operational. District Education Officer (DEO) Rajdev Ram has issued detailed orders to all Block Education Officers in this regard. The exams will be conducted in two shifts—first shift from 10 AM to 12 PM and second shift from 1 PM to 3 PM. Alongside this, several other significant updates have emerged, detailed below.

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Exam Conduct and Arrangements

Only students scheduled to appear for the exam on a given day will attend school, while others will stay home to prepare. Special arrangements have been made for smooth exam conduct:

• Center Superintendents and Assistants: Each school’s Headmaster (HM) will serve as the center superintendent, assisted by one senior teacher.
• Invigilation: Teachers from other schools will handle invigilation duties to ensure impartiality.
• Student Participation: A total of 4,52,226 students will participate across more than 740 schools.

Strict Measures for a Malpractice-Free Exam

Following instances of malpractice by some teachers last year, stringent measures have been introduced:

• No Cheating Materials: Students are prohibited from bringing textbooks, notebooks, or any aids.
• Spacing Rule: A minimum distance of 2 feet between examinees is mandatory.
• Assistance and Discipline: Invigilators will assist students with question comprehension, but the sanctity of the exam will be upheld.
• Washroom Rule: Students can use the washroom only after the first hour of the exam.
• Focus on Weaker Students: Academically weaker students will be seated in the front rows for better monitoring and support.

Evaluation and Monitoring

Post-exam, answer sheets will be securely stored at schools, categorized by class and subject. Evaluation will occur at designated school complexes:

• Online Results: Results will be published on the e-Shiksha Kosh portal; answer sheets will not be shared with parents.
• Random Checks: DEOs will personally inspect 500-1,000 students’ answer sheets and mark sheets, verifying marks through student interviews.
• Monitoring: District and block-level officials will oversee the exam and evaluation process.
• Action: Discrepancies between marks and student knowledge will lead to action against responsible personnel.

Education Department Directives

Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Dr. S. Siddharth has directed DEOs to ensure a malpractice-free exam. Complaints about lack of transparency in last year’s half-yearly exams have prompted a zero-tolerance policy for negligence, with punitive action against offenders.

Teacher Counseling and Training

1. Counseling for 18,000 Teachers:

• Date: Starting March 18.
• Participants: Candidates from competency exams, headmaster posts, and BPSC Phase III.
• Details: Over 18,000 teachers whose counseling was incomplete or who were absent will be reprocessed. Primary Education Director Sahila has instructed DEOs to streamline this. Over 1,000 teachers in the district are yet to complete counseling.
• Absenteeism: 5,800 teachers from Competency Phase II were absent previously.

1. 6-Month Training Course:

• Objective: To certify B.Ed teachers for Classes 1-5.
• Duration: April 6 to September 30, 2025; classes every Saturday.
• Details: The National Council for Teacher Education prepared the module. The department will bear the cost. Exams and results will follow in October. Over 600 teachers statewide and 100+ in the district will participate.

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Other Important Updates (In Detail)

1. Increase in Dearness Allowance:

• What: The central government may announce a hike in Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR).
• When: Next week’s cabinet meeting, before Holi.
• Beneficiaries: Over 1.2 crore government employees and pensioners.
• Details: DA is revised biannually in January and July, announced around Holi and Diwali, respectively. The hike, possibly 3-4%, will boost the current 50% DA, aiding purchasing power.

1. New EPFO Facility:

• What: The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) allows UAN holders linked to Aadhaar to update personal details without documents.
• Details: Name, date of birth, gender, nationality, marital status, etc., can be updated if UAN is Aadhaar-verified.
• Process:
  1. Log in to the Unified Member Portal.
  2. Select ‘Modify Basic Details’ under the ‘Manage’ tab.
  3. Update details per Aadhaar and submit.
  4. Track status via ‘Track Request.’
• Condition: Pre-October 1, 2017, UANs require employer approval. Aadhaar-PAN linkage is mandatory.
• Benefit: Previously a 28-day process, now faster and simpler.

1. Training Module for Teachers:

• What: The National Council for Teacher Education developed a 6-month course module for B.Ed teachers.
• Purpose: Mandatory for recognition in primary schools.
• Details: SCERT will conduct it; 600+ teachers statewide enrolled. Initially self-funded, now department-funded.

1. Results on e-Shiksha Kosh:

• What: Annual exam results will be published on the e-Shiksha Kosh portal for the first time.
• Details: Last year’s discrepancies between answer sheets and results prompted this move for transparency.

1. Absenteeism in Counseling:

• Details: 5,800 Competency Phase II teachers skipped counseling, unwilling to become specialized teachers. Over 500 such cases in the district.

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