Mahi's score or maths scores? Tense T20 for parents this summer

Exams and cricket are never a good combination. With the schedule of a number of crucial high school and higher secondary examinations of various boards clashing with the ICC World T20 tournament that began a few days back, students are finding it hard to concentrate on their studies.

Parents, on their part, are having anxious moments about the distraction that it might cause students.

Take Radhamma, a parent for instance. She has gone as far as disconnecting the cable service to ensure that her daughter, a cricket crazy fan who is giving her crucial II PU exam, concentrates on her studies. The II PU exams began on Friday and will end in March 28. Radhamma told Deccan Herald: “I removed the connection a month ago as my daughter is fond of cricket. And the exams are really important.”

Vikram S, II PU student of St Aloysius Degree College is in a huge dilemma as he is a huge cricket buff. "Concentrating on studies at this point of time is really a huge task as mine is a neighbourhood of cricket lovers. The matches will definitely affect my studies and performance. I wish our exams were postponed," he said.

Kishore P, a student of Blossoms School, Kanakpura Road will be giving his SSLC exams on March 30. He said, “Matches will come and go every year however I cannot afford to fail in the exams. Since the tournament started, I just check the scores and go back to my studies. It is definitely a distraction but a light one,” he said.

Somashekhar, a parent whose son is giving his CBSE class 10 exams is a cricket buff himself.  "I cannot stop him from watching the match. However, I have no option but to avoid watching it so that my son does not get distracted as well.” Not just parents and students, even school heads are worried. G K Sriram, principal of a Government PU College at Hoody says students of all the streams would be affected specially during the semi-finals and crucial matches. “Matches played between say India and Pakistan, India and Australia and semi-finals would definitely distract the students,” he added.
 
While the CISCE class 10 and class 12 began in February, the CBSE exams began in March and are still on. The SSLC exams are scheduled to start in March 30 and end on April 13. The T20 tournament will end on April 3.