ICSE Exams Cancelled; UPSC Defers Civil Service Interviews Amid COVID: Here's What's Happening

The ICSE class 10 board exams have been cancelled in view of the worsening COVID-19 situation and the option for students to appear later has been withdrawn, board secretary Gerry Arathoon said.

Last week, the board had postponed both class 10 and 12 exams.

The Council for The Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) had announced that class 10 students will get an option to either write the exams later or get evaluated on the basis of an alternative criteria.

"Given the present worsening situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, the CICSE has decided to cancel the class 10 examination. The option for students announced earlier, stands withdrawn. The safety and wellbeing of our students and teaching faculty is of topmost priority and paramount importance," said Arathoon, Secretary and Chief Executive of the CISCE.

The CBSE last week cancelled board exams for class 10 and postponed exams for class 12.

BCCL

"We are committed to devise a fair and unbiased criterion for declaring class 10 results. The criterion as well as the date of declaration of results will be announced later," he said.

UPSC defers interviews for civil services exam

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has deferred interviews for civil services examination 2020 due to a surge in coronavirus cases, according to an official statement issued on Monday.

The civil services examination is conducted annually by the UPSC in three stages -- preliminary, main and interview -- to select officers of Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others.

The dates for interviews and recruitment test, when candidates and advisers are required to travel from all parts of the country, will be reviewed from time to time, it said.

¡°Revised schedules of the same will be notified on the website of the UPSC,¡± the statement issued by the Commission said.

Kerala to continue SSLC, Plus Two exams

Despite concerns over increasing COVID-19 cases, the Kerala government has decided to proceed with the ongoing SSLC and Plus Two examinations in the state, adhering to strict guidelines.

BCCL

The general education department here said the exams would be conducted as per the original schedule and adequate precautionary measures have already been taken to ensure the safety of students, teachers and other staff.

Steps have already been taken to ensure students follow social distancing while writing exams, the Director of General Education ((DPI) said in a statement.

Tamil Nadu govt cancels class 12 public exam

The Tamil Nadu government has announced postponement of class 12 public examination, complete lockdown on Sundays and effective April 20, night curfew from 10 pm to 4 am.

After Chief Minister K Palaniswami chaired a high level meeting here to review the COVID-19 scenario in the state, the government announced measures, including the Sunday lockdown to help prevent the rapid rise in the spread of virus.

Though the class 12 public examination is deferred, the ongoing practicals would be conducted as per plan, the government said in an official release.