Teachers have to produce certificate for sick leave during exam: UP Board

Government teachers will need to furnish a sickness certificate issued by the district’s chief medical officer (CMO) if they want to take leave on grounds of poor health during the months coinciding with UP Board examinations.

In a letter sent to all CMOs, UP Board secretary Neena Srivastava said that the new norm is aimed at cross-checking to confirm whether the leave is being requested on legitimate grounds or escape duty in the exams.

“In last year’s examinations, it is observed that some school principals and teachers do not want to take responsibility of centre administrator and invigilator and take leave during exams on the grounds of poor health,” the letter read.

This lead to the shortage of teachers during the examinations, due to which, District Inspector of Schools (DIOS) face problems in smoothly conducting the exams, it said.

Under new norms, the leave application will be sent to the district chief medical officer to confirm as their health condition.

“A certificate issued by the CMO will only be valid for the leave,” Srivastava said in the letter.

Examinations for class 10 and class 12 of the UP board of High School and Intermediate Education will start on February 18 and run until March 6, 2020.