Students in remote village face hardship as grade 12 exams postponed at last minute

Khotang, April 23

Ramkumar Tamang, a grade 12 student from Odare, Ward 3 of Aiselukharka Rural Municipality, arrived in Baksila on Tuesday evening after a grueling five-hour trek carrying a 15–20 kg backpack.

By the time he reached Baksila Bazaar, the administrative center of neighbouring Kepilasagadhi Rural Municipality, night had already fallen. Drenched in sweat, he entered a local hotel and anxiously began scrolling through news updates on his phone, uncertain whether the grade 12 exams scheduled to begin Thursday would actually take place.

Ramkumar was not alone. Alongside him were six fellow students, all of whom had undertaken the same long, uncertain journey on foot. For the past three weeks, these students have been preparing for their exams amid growing confusion over whether they would proceed.

Around 8:45 am on Tuesday, they learned that the exams had been postponed, leading to widespread disappointment and frustration among the students.

The uncertainty intensified after Education Minister Bidya Bhattarai resigned on Monday. That same day, agitating teachers announced they would continue their protests in a way that would disrupt the grade 12 exams. Although the National Examination Board decided on Tuesday morning not to postpone the exams, the protesting teachers declared they would not participate in conducting them.

In response, the government considered deploying civil servants to supervise the exams. However, by Tuesday evening, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli instructed that the exams be postponed. The government issued an official notice later that night, rescheduling the exams to May 4 (Baisakh 21).

Frustrated by the late decision, Ramkumar said, “Why did the government wait until the last moment to postpone the exams? How irresponsible. We endured so much hardship for nothing.”

Sodhan Tamang, also from Odare, shared similar frustrations. According to him, hiring a reserved Tata Sumo vehicle would have cost a significant amount, so they opted to walk together to the exam center.

More than 60 students from Tribhuvan Secondary School in Aiselukharka Ward 2 spent the day in confusion. Many, like Sodhan and Ramkumar, had already reached Baksila, while others had arranged private vehicles to arrive early Wednesday.

Now that the exams are postponed, these students face two difficult options: either spend a large sum to hire a vehicle back home or walk 5–6 hours across steep hills again.

Bivek Tamang, who also reached Baksila by Tuesday evening after walking since noon with a heavy bag full of books and clothes, expressed his disappointment. “If the exams were to be postponed, why couldn’t the government decide earlier? We suffered for nothing,” he said.

He added that the ongoing confusion had made it impossible to focus on studies. “With the teachers’ strike continuing and the government’s indecision, there’s still uncertainty about whether the exams will even be held on May 4.”

Sujan Tamang and Deu Kumar Tamang said the physical toll from the heavy loads, stress, and intense heat had left their bodies not only soaked in sweat but completely drained. “We couldn’t bear the heat, so we swam in rivers along the way. But now, how do we go back?” said Deu Kumar.

Sujan from Jhankriwas, Aiselukharka, said he was saddened to hear the exam had been postponed only after reaching Baksila and blamed both the government and the protesting teachers. “All this hardship could have been avoided. The government failed to make a timely decision, and the teachers’ protest disrupted everything. Our future now feels uncertain.”

Roshan Tamang, another student in Baksila, vented his anger to Onlinekhabar, saying, “Had we been informed earlier, we wouldn’t have had to suffer like this. We’re drenched in sweat, and our heads are boiling with frustration.”

He lamented that thousands of students across the country had been impacted due to the government’s indecision, leaving their futures in limbo. “For students like us from remote areas, this isn’t just hardship—it’s a blow to our future.”

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