New Delhi: With thousands of students demanding the cancellation of Assam Board class 10 and class 12 examinations, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said that the final decision on HSLC, HS and High Madrassa will be taken on June 18.

The chief minister took to Twitter and wrote, “Final decision regarding Assam HSLC, High Madrassa and HS final year examinations will be taken on June 18, 2021 in a meeting between Education Department & various other stakeholders,” Assam CM tweeted today. He further added, “It was recommended by the Cabinet not to allow the exams due to prevailing #COVID19 pandemic.”

The Chief Minister had earlier stated that the AHSEC 12th and SEBA 10th exams would be cancelled only if the COVID positivity rate will stay above 2 per cent by July 1, 2021. However, due to a delay in the decision, a group of students has filed a PIL in the Supreme Court of India seeking cancellation of the exams.

Filed by a group of students, the plea said that they are being forced to appear in the examinations amid a threat to their life. “In the interest of the safety of lakhs of students and their parents, it is better to cancel the exams. The government’s statement that Covid positivity rate below 2 per cent has no relevance”, the plea read.

Earlier, the Class X and XII exams were scheduled to start on May 12, but the government had to postpone it owing to the second wave of COVID-19. The HSLC exams are conducted by the Board of Secondary Education Assam (SEBA), while the higher secondary exams are held by the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC).