Gandhinagar, February 26 – Board examinations for Classes 10 and 12 began across Gujarat on Thursday, with the state's Minister of Education, Rivaba Jadeja, visiting an examination center in the Gandhinagar district and urging students to approach the exams with confidence rather than anxiety.
Jadeja visited the M.B. Patel English Medium Secondary and Higher Secondary School at Sector-23, Kadi Campus, where she met students appearing for their examinations.
Addressing them at the center, she described the examinations as "a festival" and encouraged them to remain calm while writing their papers.
"The examination is a festival, celebrate it with joy. The examination is a step towards shaping your life, not a reason to fear. Keep your mind calm and celebrate this festival of examination with confidence," she said.
The minister personally greeted the students and presented each of them a flower, a pen, and a writing pad as a gesture of encouragement.
Following the customary practice of beginning an auspicious task with a sweet, she also offered sugar to the students and conveyed her best wishes for their success.
During her visit, Jadeja interacted with the school management and reviewed the arrangements at the center.
She inspected the facilities provided to students and examined the security measures, including the installation of CCTV cameras.
She commended the school authorities for creating an environment intended to enable students to sit for their examinations without mental stress.
Among those present were Gandhinagar North MLA Rita Patel, State Wala Yojana Chairperson Dharmishtha Gajjar, Kadi Sarva Vishwavidyalaya President Vallabhai Patel, and senior officials from the Education Department.
The examinations are being conducted by the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board, which has commenced the Class 10 Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Class 12 Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations for the academic year 2025–26 from today.
The examinations will continue until mid-March, with nearly 16.63 lakh students appearing at centers across the state.
Authorities said arrangements have been made statewide to maintain security and provide support to students during the examination period.