The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations’ (CISCE) announcement of dates |for board exams — stalled by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown to contain its spread — has brought some relief for examinees who had been under mental pressure over uncertainty about their pending papers.

On Friday, CISCE announced that the pending papers for Class X and XII would be held between July 1 and July 14.

While the pending exams for Class XII will start from July 1, those for Class X will start from July 2.

Class XII candidates are yet to appear for biology, business studies, geography, psychology, sociology, home science, elective English and art exams.

The pending papers for Class X are geography, applied art, Hindi, biology, economics and elective papers.

All exams will begin at 11am with extra time for |reading the question papers.

“Usually this is the time we expect results, but now we are preparing for the exams afresh. We have been waiting for this to get over. Finally we have got the dates. It’s a huge relief,” said Omisha Shree, a Class X student of Rajendra Vidyalaya.

Principal of Rajendra Vidyalaya Rakhi Banerjee said there was already a |WhatsApp group for students and teachers of the four |subjects exams for which were pending.

“The teachers have already been clarifying the doubts, but now the intensity has increased because the students know the dates and have begun preparing for the exams seriously,” she said.

The council has also |issued a list of instructions that include reaching the exam halls well ahead of |time, following social-distancing rules, carrying masks and hand sanitisers, and avoiding borrowing stationery.

Many schools are also trying to get their examination halls sanitised.

“I have spoken to a few agencies and we shall get |the examination hall sanitised before a week from the date |of examinations,” Rajendra Vidyalaya principal Banerjee said.

Kerala Samajam Model School, Dayanand Public School and many others have also decided to sanitise their exam halls to ensure cleanliness.

Schools will also ask teachers and invigilators to wear masks.

“We have decided to sanitise the halls. It is a big relief for the students that the exams will be finally over in July. They have been waiting for it since the lockdown started,” principal of Kerala Samajam Model School Nandini Shukla told The Telegraph.