Lockdown in West Bengal: Class 10, 12 Board exams deferred, revised schedule to be announced later

A revised schedule for West Bengal Class 10 and 12 board examinations will be announced later.

New Delhi: The West Bengal government on Saturday (May 15) postponed the state board examinations for Class 10 and 12 for an indefinite period in view of the raging COVID-19 pandemic. 

The board exams, earlier slated to be held in June, have now been postponed indefinitely. 

“No secondary and higher secondary examinations will be held in June," Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay told reporters at the state secretariat, 'Nabanna'.

He added that a revised schedule for the state board examinations will be announced later. “The education department will hold meetings with the authorities of the state boards to decide on a revised schedule for both the exams,” PTI quoted the Chief Secretary as saying. 

The Madhyamik (secondary) exams 2021 were set to begin on June 1, while Higher Secondary exams were to commence on June 15.

Earlier on Saturday, the state government announced a two weeks complete lockdown commencing from Sunday (May 16) onwards. The lockdown will remain in place till May 30 in order to break the chain of transmission of coronavirus infection. Among other restrictions, all schools, colleges, educational and academic institutions will remain shut during the lockdown period. 

The announcement came on a day when the state reported 19,511 fresh infections, which pushed the tally to 11,14,313. With 144 fatalities due to COVID-19, the highest so far in a single day, the toll stood at 13,137 on Saturday, as per the state health department. 

(With PTI inputs)