The ongoing teachers’ protest in Kathmandu has disrupted the Grade 12 examination schedule, affecting over 71,900 students in Koshi Province. According to the Provincial Examination Management Office under the National Examination Board, Biratnagar, 53,950 regular students and 18,007 students for grade improvement exams have been unable to attend their exams. Although the National Examination Board had planned to begin the Grade 12 exams on April 24, the ongoing protest forced the postponement of the exams nationwide.
Damodar Chapagain, Director of the Provincial Examination Management Office, Biratnagar, confirmed that the office had appointed chiefs for 217 exam centers across 10 districts in the province. Morang has the highest number of exam centers in Koshi Province, with 62 designated centers. Authorities have set up 49 centers in Jhapa and 38 in Sunsari. Jiwan Gadtaula, Chief of the Education Development and Coordination Unit in Morang, stated that preparations are in their final stages at all 62 centers. Despite the National Examination Board completing the necessary arrangements, the ongoing teachers’ protest has disrupted the schedule, affecting examinees.
In Sankhuwasabha, the protest by the Nepal Teachers’ Association has also affected Grade 12 students. According to Sankhuwasabha District Representative Bhabin Karki, the Association’s refusal to withdraw its protest has led to the postponement of the exams, impacting over 2,000 students. Gomalman Bhandari, Chief of the Education Development and Coordination Unit, confirmed that 2,340 students including 1,445 regular and 895 grade improvement examinees have been affected across seven centers in the district. These centers include Himalaya Secondary School Khandbari, Mahendra Secondary School Manebhanjyang, Arun Valley Boarding School Khandbari, Sharda Secondary School Chainpur, Saraswati Secondary School Chainpur, and Rameshwar Secondary School under Dharmadevi Municipality.
Similarly, in Dhankuta 2,992 students are affected by the postponement of the exam. Ishwar Thapa, Dhankuta District Representative, confirmed that 1,861 regular and 1,131 grade improvement students were impacted. The district had designated 11 examination centers. Mohan Rai, Chief of the Education Development and Coordination Unit in Dhankuta, explained that teachers are responsible for all examination-related tasks, and the center chief holds the main key. As question papers are emailed and need to be printed half an hour before the exam, only the center chiefs are authorized to handle this process. Due to the protest, the exams could not be conducted.