Schools to cops: Ensure CAPF moves in after exams

Kolkata: Amid growing concern over the early occupation of school campuses by central forces ahead of the assembly polls in Bengal, several schools in Kolkata have appealed to local police stations to delay the entry of personnel so they can complete classes and conduct first summative examinations without disruption.School authorities said preparations for accommodating CAPF personnel have already begun in many institutions, with classrooms being cleared, benches removed, and parts of campuses being taken over, even though polling in Kolkata is scheduled on April 29. According to the Election Commission, between 2,000 and 2,500 companies of central forces will be deployed in each of the two phases of polling in Bengal this year.At Jodhpur Park Boys' School, headmaster Amit Sen Majumder said the school is struggling to complete its academic schedule, as several classrooms have become unusable due to preparations for the forces' stay. He said only eight class days remain before the examinations, and the school is going to conduct the first summative exams for classes 6 to 10 in two shifts to finish by April 10. The school has requested the local police to ensure the forces arrive only after the examinations are over.Taki House Govt Sponsored Boys' School has also sought a postponement. Headmistress Swagata Basak said the school was informed that central forces would enter the campus by March 15, though they have not yet arrived. According to board instructions, examinations must be completed by April 15, and the school plans to start exams on April 1. If the deployment is not delayed, the school may have to shift the examinations to its second campus.The situation is more severe at Dr Shyamaprasad Mukherjee Institution in Beleghata, where physical classes have been suspended and shifted online. Headmistress Sulagna Munsi said the entire school has been taken over for preparatory arrangements, with benches removed from classrooms and dumped outside. "With no clarity on when the forces will actually arrive, we have informed the district inspector's office and the secondary board, seeking a solution to conduct the exams," she added. The institution has more than 1,300 students at the secondary level.At St Peter's School, a major portion of the campus is already occupied by central forces, forcing the management to hold classes on alternate days. St Paul's School is also preparing for possible disruption. Headmaster Nipanjan Mandal said classes are continuing for now, but arrangements for the accommodation are underway. "We have decided to complete the exams within four days, between April 7 and 10, under any circumstances."The early takeover of educational institutions has raised concern among school authorities, who say academic activities are being affected weeks before polling begins in the city.