Amid the surge of COVID-19 cases in India, the ICSE council has cancelled the Class-10 board exams, a circular issued late on Monday, 19 April, stated.
“The ICSE (Class 10) 2021 Examination: Given the present worsening situation of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country, the CISCE has decided to cancel the ICSE (Class X) 2021 Examination. The options given in the earlier circular dated 16th April 2021 now stands withdrawn. The safety and wellbeing of our students and teaching faculty is our topmost priority and of paramount interest (sic),” read the circular signed by Gerry Arathoon, Chief Executive and Secretary of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations.
Earlier, the Class-10 examinations had been deferred.
A press release on 16 April had informed that while the ISC (Class 12) exams will be conducted at a later date, Class 10 students will be given the following options:
- To write the exam offline, along with Class 12 students
- To not write the offline exam. In this case, the Board will “develop a fair and unbiased criterion while preparing the results of such candidates”.
The ICSE exams were originally slated to begin on 4 May.
Meanwhile, the CBSE Board examinations for Class 10 have been cancelled, while the Class-12 examinations have been postponed.
CBSE said that the Board will review the situation on 1 June and take a decision regarding the Class-12 exams. Students will be given a notice of at least 15 days before the exams begin.
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