Kolkata School Wants COVID-19 Certificate for ICSE, ISC Students

The Principal of the school said the decision was taken as the school is located in a containment zone. 

(Photo: AP/Mahesh Kumar A)

Days after the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination allowed students to either write pending ICSE and ISC papers in July or opt for internal evaluation, a private school in Kolkata has purportedly asked parents of students who were to appear for the scheduled papers for a certificate stating they are COVID-19 negative, reports news agency PTI.

According to the report, a notice posted on the website of St Augustine's Day School reads, "Should your ward be interested for the examination, parents are requested to go for a COVID TEST for your ward and get a negative result, which will help all the students appearing the Examination and minimising the risk of all the other people who are involved in conducting the ICSE (or ISC) Examination 2020 for the revised dates."

Further, the signed notice asks parents to submit COVID-19 test results of their students by 25 June.

Speaking to PTI, the Principal of the school, RS Gasper, said that the step was necessary to ensure the safety of students and other staff, as the school falls within a containment zone.

The notice asks parents to inform the school as to whether or not their wards would appear for the scheduled exams by 19 June.

The report also says that a source in the Association of Heads of ICSE Schools in West Bengal has told the news agency that according to his knowledge, no other school in the state has asked for a COVID-19 certificate from parents.