Bhubaneswar, Nov 25 (IANS): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring clarity on the time frame for the conduct of Class 10 and 12 Board examinations and the duration of the 2020-21 academic session.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister said national guidelines with tentative timelines will help states for framing appropriate strategy.

"As all competitive entrance examinations and admission in institutions of high education are interlinked, national guidelines with tentative timelines will help the states for framing appropriate strategy. It will also help students anxious about the examination dates to plan and prepare accordingly," Patnaik said.

He said that in the absence of clarity on the academic session and conduct of both Class 10 and Class 12 Board examinations, all enrolled students and their parents/teachers are in a state of uncertainty.

It is leading to anxiety among all, he added.

In view of Covid-19, all educational institutions are closed in the state since March 17 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The state government has decided to keep educational institutions closed till December 31.

"We have been trying to reach out to the maximum number of students digitally through different modes. But it is not possible to cover all students and prepare them for the Boards and different competitive examinations," Patnaik said.