Kerala has decided to postpone all exams in the state once again until further notice. The notification issued by the Chief Minister’s Office cites the Centre’s guidelines and COVID-19 lockdown extension as the reasons for postponing exams.
All SSLC, Higher Secondary, Vocational Higher Secondary and University exams in the state now stand postponed. The decision was taken after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday and fresh dates will be announced following Centre’s guidelines in June.
All board exams in the state were scheduled to be conducted between May 26 to May 30 and university exams were scheduled to be held during the months of June and July.
Until Tuesday, the state government had decided to not postpone the exams despite the extension of lockdown. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had even said in his press meet that all arrangements, including bus transport for students, would be arranged by the government.
However, with the Centre extending lockdown and instructing schools and colleges to only conduct online classes, the state has now had to re-evaluate holding examinations amid the lockdown.
Speaking to the press on Tuesday, the Chief Minister had also said that the state government was in talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding setting up exam centres for candidates from gulf countries who were planning to take the NEET exam this year and will be unable to do so if the lockdown continues. The Chief Minister had also added that the state would consider making arrangements for students stuck in other districts to travel and write their exams in designated centres.
On Tuesday, meanwhile, the state of Kerala recorded 12 more cases, all of whom were returnees from abroad and other states. The number of active patients stands at 142, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the media. The total number of cases rose to 642 and 72,000 people were under observation with 455 of them in various hospitals.