Mysuru (Karnataka), July 6 : Karnataka Education Minister S. Suresh Kumar on Monday said that the state board's Class 10 (Secondary School Leaving Certificate - SSLC) examinations will be held as per schedule on July 19 and 22. On the sidelines of the Kabini Water Consultation meeting here, Kumar said that the state government has already released a Covid safety protocol to conduct these examinations safely. He added that all the SOPs will be strictly enforced in all examination centres. "If any student is found with Covid symptoms, such students will be allowed to write the examinations in a separate room. If a Covid-infected student wishes to take the examinations, then he or she will be allowed to appear for the examination at the nearby Covid Care Centre. So, we are taking every possible safety procedure to conduct these crucial examinations," the minister explained. Kumar exhorted that there is a question of prestige here as neither he has any ego nor the state government is insisting on conducting SSLC examinations. "Conducting exams is not a punishment to the students, but it is being held as it would help the students to choose the subjects of their liking to shape their career in future. Moreover, this year we have to conduct examinations as these students were promoted to SSLC last year without a written examination of their Class 9. This being the case, we cannot take the risk of not conducting these examinations and promote them to the next class," he explained. The SSLC examinations will consist of two sets of Model Question Papers and OMR sheets will be provided to the students at their designated examination centres. "Prior to these examinations commencing, I will interact with them and answer their questions and also clarify their doubts about the examinations. Besides this I am going to convene a meeting with all Deputy Directors of Public Instruction (DDPIs) and Block Education Officer (BEOs) for the next two days to discuss and formalise complete plans," he explained. Necessary arrangements have been made to conduct examinations for as many as 8.76 lakh students with 73,066 examination halls which has been increased from last year's 48,000 classrooms to ensure these examinations are held as per Covid safety protocols. /IANS