The Mizoram Board of School Education (MBSE) will hold the Class XII examinations for pending subjects from June 16 to 18.

A notification issued by the MBSE on Wednesday said examinations of Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate for remaining subjects in arts, science and commerce streams would re-commence from June 16 to 18.

More than 4,700 students are yet to complete their board examinations in economics, chemistry, sociology, computer science and home science. The examinations were suspended in March because of the nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the spread of novel coronavirus.

In April, the MBSE had announced resumption of the board examinations between April 22 and 24. It was opposed by students, citing inconveniences amid the lockdown. The exams were postponed when the Centre asked the state government to put it on hold because of the lockdown.

In a separate notification, the board also announced that compartmental examinations for Class X students would be held on June 16 at 11 centres across the state.

In another development, chief minister Zoramthanga said his government was contemplating extension of the lockdown beyond May 31.

The nationwide lockdown 4.0, imposed to break the chain of coronavirus spread, will end on May 31.

He told The Telegraph that the extension was crucial as thousands were returning to the state from across the country. However, a final decision would be taken after consulting officials and experts.

“Mizoram is currently witnessing a peak in the return of stranded people. We believe it is not strategically safe to abruptly lift the lockdown and set people free at this juncture. I think we will have to extend it for more days,” he said, adding that his government would either amend the existing guidelines or make it more rigid, as suggested by officials, if the lockdown is extended.

Health minister Dr R. Laltangliana urged department officials and medical experts to be vigilant as new cases of coronavirus could be detected with thousands of people arriving from outside the state. Mizoram has been a Covid-free state since its lone patient, who tested positive on March 24, was discharged from Zoram Medical College (ZMC) near Aizawl on May 9.

Zoramthanga slammed Opposition Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) over a call for special Assembly session to re-appropriate the state’s annual budget for the fiscal 2020-21. He said re-allocation of budget was out of question.

The ZPM legislators had also pitched for revocation of the Mizoram Salaries, Allowances and Pension of Members of the Legislative Assembly (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to hike salaries and allowances of MLAs, and going back to the previous pay structure. Zoramthanga said the bill was unanimously passed by the Assembly in November 2019. “It is unmanly on the part of ZPM leaders to suggest revocation of the act and going back to the previous pay structure,” he said. The government has advocated austerity measures as the state is facing a financial crisis in the time of the coronavirus, he added.