ICSE Board Exams For Classes 10-12 Deferred, New Dates In June First Week

The ICSE board exams for Classes 10 and 12 have been deferred amid the surge in COVID-19 cases across the country. The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, which conducts the ICSE tests, in a statement said the new dates will be announced in the first week of June.

"The Covid situation will be closely monitored and the deferment of the ICSE and ISC 2021 examinations will be reviewed and a final decision on the conduct of the examinations will be taken by the first week of June 2021," the board said in a statement.

Class 10 board exams have been already cancelled and Class 12 exams have been deferred because of the nationwide Covid surge that had led to demands by parents, students, politicians and various states for a government rethink.

The big announcement affecting over 35 lakh students followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting on April 14 with the Education Minister and top officers.

Covid cases have been spiralling across the country in the deadly second wave of infections. India in recent times reported over two lakh new coronavirus infections in the highest single-day rise so far.

Before the CBSE decision came, parents' groups had written to PM Modi requesting that students be assessed internally instead of them having to sit for exams physically. The India Wide Parents Association had pointed out in a letter that teachers and students had not been vaccinated yet and there was a higher chance of infection among them.