The exams, which will start on March 16 and conclude on March 21, have left the students of affiliated schools baffled.

Rajinder Sharma, president, Association of PSEB Affiliated Schools, Punjab, said, “The Education department has not made affiliated schools as its examination centres. All the government and government-aided schools will invigilate the exams. This will cause a lot of inconvenience to students of Class V who will have to visit faraway government schools to take their exams. With students, parents will also be harassed as they will have to drop and bring back their children from schools situated in distant areas.”

Nearly 18 lakh students studying in more than 2,200 affiliated schools will appear in Class V exam this year. Sharma said, “In Ludhiana district alone, there are 150 affiliated schools. It is ridiculous that when Punjab School Education Board makes these schools examination centres of Classes VIII, X and XII, at least Class V students can be spared.”

Headmaster of another affiliated school said, “We don’t find any logic behind it. We will meet CM Parkash Singh Badal tomorrow and apprise him of the issue. The children of Class V are too young and it is difficult for them to reach the new examination centres in time.”

Dalbir Singh Dhillon, chairman, PSEB, said, “The exam of Class V is being conducted by SSA authority and they are dealing with the issue.”