West Bengal: Higher secondary exams cancelled; next date to be announced later

Partha Chatterjee, State Education Minister on Friday said that remaining papers of West Bengal Higher Secondary Exam/ Class 12 Exam which were supposed to be conducted on July 2, 6, and 8 have been cancelled in the wake of increasing COVID-19 cases in the state. This comes a day after West Bengal extended the lockdown till July 31, although a new set of relaxations will be announced. 

However, Chatterjee, said that the next date will be announced later.

"West Bengal Higher secondary exam which was supposed to be conducted on 2nd, 6th, and 8th July has been cancelled, next date will be announced later," Partha Chatterjee said.

The board examination process in the state was delayed due to the outbreak of coronavirus and followed lockdown.

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West Bengal extends Lockdown

The lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus has been extended in West Bengal and will now last till July 31, although a new set of relaxations will be announced. The current phase of the lockdown in the state is due to end on June 30.

Educational institutions are already shut till July end. Suspension of public transport services like train and metro services will remain in place.

The announcement comes after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held an all-party meeting at the state secretariat in Kolkata over the Covid-19 situation in the state. Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh, Manoj Howladar from Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Swapan Banerjee from Communist Party of India, Pradip Bhattacharya from Congress were among those who participated in the meeting.

READ: West Bengal: Lockdown extended till July 31, fresh relaxations to be announced

Meanwhile, West Bengal registered its highest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases on Friday, recording 542 fresh infections, to push the tally to 16,190 as the number of fatalities also jumped by 10, officials said. A total of 10,535 patients have recovered from the respiratory ailment, a bulletin issued by the health department said

READ: COVID-19: WB govt convenes all-party meet, Mamata dials oppn leaders

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(with inputs from ANI)