The 80th School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examination is set to begin at 8am on Thursday. A total of 566,085 students are sitting for the final test of the secondary school system in 1,836 examination centres across the country.

The Office of the Controller of Examinations (OCE) has said the number of examinees might drop slightly this year as students who do not meet the criteria of minimum 70 percent attendance will be barred from taking the test.

The OCE has also introduced an audio notice board service to inform the exam centres about errors or changes in question papers of the SLC examinations this year. The audio notice board service can be accessed by dialling the toll free number 161-801-661-2146 where callers will receive notifications regarding the question papers. Examination Controller Bishnu Bahadur Dware said over 53,000 staffers, including superintendents, invigilators, helpers and police personnel, will be mobilised during the nine-day exam that will conclude on March 28. Students will attend the  English exam on the first day. According to Dware, the OCE has decided to fine those who are found adopting unfair means to pass the test or those breaching the examination code of conduct could face a maximum of six months jail term or Rs 100,000 fine, or both.

Anyone found encouraging or helping examinees to breach examination code of conduct will be booked under the Public Offence  Act. Teachers, officials and security personnel not abiding by the examination norms too will face departmental actions.

1,236 Kamlaris attending test
NEPALGUNJ: More than 1,230 freed Kamlaris—indentured girl child labourers—from various western districts are attending this year’s SLC examinations. According to the Freed Kamlari Development Forum, a total of 1,236 freed Kamlaris from Banke, Bardiya and Dang districts will attend the examinations. Last year, 745 freed Kamlaris attended the exam.

source: the himalayan times,20 march 2014