The 41-day strike by junior college teachers, which was called off on Wednesday, has cost 29 working days with 30 per cent of the syllabi yet to be completed. However, according to a statement issued by the Maharashtra Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, the HSC theory exams will be conducted between March 4 and 23 and the practical examinations between February 15 and 27. The SSC theory exams will be held between March 11 and 24 while the practical exams between February 25 and March 9.

However, president of the Association of Non-Government Colleges, Principal M G Shirahatti, told Express Newsline that the association has written to School Education Minister Sudhir Joshi urging him to postpone the exams. Theassociation has suggested that the HSC exams could commence on March 12 instead. Moreover, completing the syllabus for the practical exams in the Science faculty will be especially difficult as this involves laboratory work. Compensating for the time lost will take about 20-25 days and hence postponing the exam by a week would help.

Meanwhile, the student fraternity has expressed mixed reactions depending on the courses they are taking. Parul Salunke from Ruparel College, Matunga, says her lecturers had completed most of the syllabi before the strike. And yes, enrolling in a coaching class did help. Also, she points out, if the HSC exam is on schedule, it would give students who plan to take the Common Entrance Test for admission to medical courses sufficient time to prepare for the test.

Mayura Amanna, a student in the Arts faculty of Ruparel College, however, says she would be happy if the HSC exam is postponed by a week. A Commerce student, Kapil Kapoor, from Lala Lajpatrai College says heagrees.

Several other students, from the Science and Commerce faculties, say the race to complete the syllabus has little meaning thanks to the ubiquitous coaching classes. Some Science students though said the practical exam should be conducted after the theory papers to give them sufficient time to complete laboratory work.

Principal Shirahatti says that if the government insists on conducting the Std XII exams on schedule, the Std XI practicals could be postponed so that the HSC practicals can be completed without a problem.