Thiruvananthapuram: The annual community living camps of the National Service Scheme (NSS) in the higher secondary schools in the state are scheduled to conclude on the day of the reopening of the schools after the Christmas holidays. The school authorities are in a dilemma over how to conduct the classes as the camp activities will take place on the reopening day. The General Education Department has not issued any clarification on the situation till now. The NSS camps are conducted in about 90% of the higher secondary schools in the state.

The Christmas holidays are for nine days, from December 23 to 31, and the schools will reopen on January 1. The NSS camps, lasting seven days, will begin on December 26 and go on until January 1. Since grace marks are awarded only to those who remain in the camp for all seven days, it is not possible to cut short the period of the camp. Those taking part in the camps are being accommodated in classrooms. In addition, the campers are required to carry out cleaning activities on the premises after the event concludes.

Since the Education Department has not issued any clarification on the issue, many schools have decided to wind up the camps by the morning of January 1. Since classes begin at 9 am, the camps would have to end before that. Those students who are taking part in camps in schools other than their own will find it difficult to attend classes in their institutions on January 1 itself. Although the schools will reopen on January 1, the next day is a holiday on account of Mannam Jayanthi. Therefore, if the schools are reopened on January 3, it will not affect the camps, pointed out teachers