Indian officials cancel ICSE grade 10 exams amid worsening Covid-19 situation

A final decision on whether Grade 12 exams can be held will be made in June

The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations cancelled the exams for Grade 10 and deferred those for Grade 12.  AFP

School pupils in the UAE will be unable to sit summer exams for the ICSE curriculum because of the worsening coronavirus problem in India.

The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) cancelled the exams for Grade 10 pupils and deferred exams for Grade 12.

The tests are the Indian equivalent of GCSEs and A levels respectively.

"Given the present worsening situation of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country, the CISCE has decided to cancel the ICSE 2021 examination," a circular from the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations said.

“The safety and wellbeing of our students and teaching faculty is our topmost priority.”

The board said a "fair and unbiased criterion" will be established as the basis for grade awards.

Last week, CISCE announced that exams for Grade 10 and Grade 12 were being deferred, before cancelling the tests for 10th graders this week.

Last week, the CBSE called off Grade 10 exams and postponed those for Grade 12.

Thousands of Indian curriculum pupils in the UAE following the CBSE may not be able to take summer exams this year.

Indian authorities will decide in June if the Grade 12 ICSE and CBSE examinations will go ahead.