Ahmedabad: India's youngest wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel will be able to appear for his class X Board examination if he makes it back from South Africa by March 26, a day after the exams are scheduled to begin. Gujarat School Education Board chairman P V Trivedi said, "If Parthiv can reach here by March 26 and is prepared to appear for the other exams, he would be given a one day grace and allowed to appear for the missed subject in July. If he can't make it, he will have to appear for all the subjects next year." Trivedi said while there were no provisions in Board laws to conduct special exams for just one student, the Board was "sympathetic" to Parthiv because he had missed the Class X exams last year too because of his cricket schedule. "Parthiv had to take a drop from his Board exam last year also due to his cricket schedule. We feel very sympathetic for him and are proud of him for making it to the Indian team but sadly there is no provision to conduct exams in special cases as yet," Trivedi said. Though a member of the 15-member Indian squad playing the World Cup in South Africa, Parthiv had to watch all the matches from the sidelines. Fearing he may miss the exam this year too, Parthiv's parents had approached the education department officials to consider him as a special case. Parthiv, who turned 18 earlier this month, is the youngest player in the World Cup.

Tags: cricket, indian wicket-keeper parthiv patel, gujarat school education board chairman p v trivedi, world cup in south africa, world cup in south africa.