Over 10 million students in 38,000 government schools across Punjab will not take their first-term exams this year, as the School Education Department has decided to merge them with mid-term exams scheduled for December. The decision follows prolonged school closures due to floods and delayed reopenings in several districts.
The first-term exams, initially set to begin on August 15, were disrupted by these delays. Officials have now confirmed that assessments for the first term will take place alongside mid-term exams in the first week of December.
Parents have expressed concerns about the delay, arguing that timely exams help students manage their academic workload and stay focused. “When exams are held as planned, children don’t feel stressed, but delays create frustration and disappointment,” said one concerned parent. The School Education Department has assured that all first-term exams will be conducted in December, along with the mid-term assessments.