AHSEC postpones Higher Secondary first year exams 2021; call on Class 10, 12 boards likely by 3 May

The Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) has deferred the Higher Secondary first year exams 2021 due to the surge in coronavirus cases in the state. The first year exams are taken by the Class 11 students. The council will decide about the Class 10 and 12 board exams likely by 3 May, once the Assembly election results are announced. The exams are scheduled to be held from 11 May. While AHSEC conducts Class 12 Board papers, Class 10 exams are undertaken by the Board of Secondary Education (SEBA). Students and parents have been requesting the council to cancel or postpone all board exams due to safety concerns. Especially for the Class 10 Board, students have urged the council to cancel the exams just like the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has done. The COVID-19 numbers have been constantly rising in the state over the past few weeks. To replenish the oxygen demand of the patients, the state is transporting oxygen from a plant in Samdrup Jongkhar, Bhutan, which is around a 2.5-hour drive from Guwahati. The Indian Embassy in Bhutan has announced  around 40 metric tonnes of oxygen will be sent to India daily. To curb the growing cases, the state government has imposed a night curfew starting from 8 pm till 5 am. The curfew will stay till 1 May. During this time, only essential services are allowed. To date, Assam has 23,195 active coronavirus cases out of which 1,925 cases have been reported in the last 24 hours. A total of 1,255 people have lost their lives cumulatively out of which 24 people died yesterday alone, as p er data released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.