Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) has also cancelled the board examinations for class 12 and class 10 students scheduled between March 19 and March 31. The revised dates for conduct of remaining papers will be announced by the Council later.
The board exam for ICSE or class 10 students was to conclude on March 30 and for ISC or class 12 students was to conclude on March 31, 2020. The exams, however, will not be conducted as per the schedule released by the Council earlier and will be held at later dates.
The decision to postpone the board exams has come after CBSE, another central education board, postponed the board exams scheduled till March 31.
"In view of the Novel Corona virus (COVID-19) spreading across the country and with much uncertainty and speculation in the air, the Council, in the interest of the health and well-being of the students and the teaching community, has decided to postpone all ICSE and ISC Year 2020 Examinations scheduled to be conducted between the period 19th March 2020 to 31st March 2020," says CISCE in a press release now available on its website.
CISCE had earlier decided to conduct the board exams as per schedule.
"The exams have not been postponed and will be held as per schedule as of now," board Chief Executive and Secretary Gerry Arathoon told PTI on March 18. His statement came after CBSE postponed its board exams and National Testing Agency postponed JEE Main exams scheduled in April.
However, the decision was met with heavy criticism from students and parents who took to social media platforms to vent their frustration against the board.
"Are ICSE students (about 200,000) immune to the virus and cannot become carriers?" wrote one user on Twitter.
#COVID2019india Wait, are #ICSE students (about 200,000) immune to the virus and cannot become carriers? Their exams haven't been postponed despite @HRDMinistry orders. @MoHFW_INDIA Do you have ANY authority on or is it namesake? @DrRPNishank Please intervene. Utterly shameful!
— Sourav Sureka (@AbbeJaaNa) March 19, 2020
Every year approximately 200, 000 students sit for class 10 and 12 board exams held by CISCE. For class 12 students, the ISC exam started on February 3, 2020 and for ICSE or class 10 students, the exam started on February 27.
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