PremiumIn view of the surge in novel coronavirus cases in the state, the West Bengal government on Saturday announced that the class 10 and lass 12 state board exams will not be held in June as scheduled.
The revised schedule for class 10 and 12 board exams will be announced later, said an official.
Premium Premium Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay said a revised schedule for the state board examinations will be announced later.
"No secondary and higher secondary examinations will be held in June," he told reporters at the state secretariat, 'Nabanna'.
Making arrangements for holding the Madhyamik examinations for Class 10 students and the Higher Secondary tests for Class 12 will be difficult during the lockdown period, he said.
The Madhyamik exams 2021 were set to begin on June 1 and Higher Secondary tests on June 15.
The education department will hold meetings with the authorities of the state boards to decide on a revised schedule for both the exams, Bandyopadhyay added
The announcement comes just hours after the state government announced a complete lockdown from Sunday till May 30 in order to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
"We are taking some strict measures to contain the pandemic, starting Sunday 6 am till 6 pm of May 30," Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay said.
Under the new rules, all government and private offices will remain closed, except emergency services. In addition to this, intra-state bus services, metro, ferry service, gyms, cinema halls, salons and swimming pools have also been ordered shut.
All markets and retailers are allowed to function only between 7 am and 10 am.
"Movement of all private vehicles, taxi and auto will be suspended from tomorrow. Schools will also remain closed," said the state chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay.
"All outdoor activities, except emergency needs, will be prohibited from 9 pm till 5 am in the wake of the surge in Covid-19 cases," he added.
Further, all academic, cultural, administrative, political and religious gathering will also remain prohibited. Not more than 50 people will be allowed in wedding functions.
Parks, zoos and sanctuaries will also remain shut in the duration.
E-commerce and home delivery services will be allowed.
Meanwhile, West Bengal on Friday registered its highest single-day spike of 20,846 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to 10,94,802, the health department said in its bulletin.
The toll rose to 12,993 after 136 more people, including five eminent doctors, succumbed to the infection, the bulletin said.
North 24 Parganas district accounted for 42 deaths and Kolkata 34.
Of the 136 deaths, 67 were due to the comorbidities where COVID-19 was incidental.
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