The DEO had issued a directive, to be followed by all schools, in view of the fact that as much as 80 per cent of the city was under flood water and several schools were closed for a long time.

Moreover, even the schools that were not affected by the flood water reported less attendance for days after flood water had receded as affected students could not make it to their schools.

Despite that some schools had shown willingness to conduct the first test and parents associations from such schools had even petitioned respective school principals for the same before Diwali.

They had claimed a majority of students were not affected and it was not proper to put the examination on hold when they were making preparations for their holidays. However, none of them conducted the examination before the schools closed for Diwali vacation.

However, the directive has returned to haunt the schools and students with as many as 15 schools preparing to hold the examination. DEO Natvarsinh Parmar issued another circular last week saying that the test had been cancelled. Besides Sarvajanik Education Society-run schools, the other schools include: P P Savani, Diamond Girls and Ramkrishna Vidyalaya.

The secondary teachers' association has adopted a tough posture on the issue. According to Surat unit president Laxmanbhai Patel and general secretary Rajeshbhai Desai if schools went ahead with the examination they will boycott it. ``It was inhuman to expect students and teachers to take three unit tests, one internal test besides completing the first term course,'' they said.