The ICSE council’s decision to ask schools for the marks of ISC examinees has made some teachers think that the council is looking for other ways to assess the students in case the exam cannot be held.

The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) on Thursday asked schools to provide by June 7 the average marks of subjects scored by ISC 2021 candidates in Class XI and XII exams conducted by the schools.

The council, however, has not said if the marks will be considered while preparing the results of the examinees.

“The CISCE is in the process of collating and collecting the data from all our schools presenting candidates for the ISC Year 2021 Examination. You are therefore requested to provide...of the candidates registered and confirmed for the ISC Year 2021 examination...

1. The Average Marks of papers/ subjects scored by the candidates concerned in the various tests/examinations conducted by the school at the Class XI level through the academic year 2019-20.(in percentage form, i.e. out of 100)

2. The Average Marks of papers/ subjects scored by the candidates concerned in the various tests/examinations conducted by the school at the Class XII level through the academic year 2020-21 (in percentage form, i.e. out of 100),” said chief executive and secretary Gerry Arathoon in the circular, which was sent to the heads of schools presenting candidates for the ISC 2021.

The council had also asked the schools to submit the average marks scored by ICSE examinees in Class IX and X but that was only after the ICSE exams (Class X boards) had been cancelled.

The council had cancelled the ICSE exams on April 19 because of “worsening situation of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country”.

“The council asking schools to submit marks does make us think that they are rethinking about exams, online or offline. They could be preparing a back-up by keeping the marks ready,” said Aruna Gomes, the principal of Loreto House.

The CBSE and the CISCE both will take a decision about the exams in the first week of June, according to an earlier circular.

But Class XII examinees are getting anxious about the exams. A number of them have got admission in foreign universities but fear losing a session or a term because of the delay in exams.

“This is the next best alternative if the exam cannot be held and the council is perhaps collating the data so that they have everything in place,” said Terence Ireland, the principal of St James’ School.

Several school heads said the council could be trying to save time.

“They are perhaps still deciding regarding exams but in case the exams are not held they cannot hold back the results for too long and if the marks are submitted earlier, the council can save time,” said Jessica Gomes, the principal of Loreto Convent Entally.

Basanti Biswas, the principal of Calcutta Girls’ High School, said that under the present circumstances, the council was taking all measures.

“They are keeping themselves prepared so that it will be a fair evaluation of students and they do not face any delay,” she said.

The Class XI exams were held in school and there was a parity across institutions but for Class XII, the schools devised their own ways of conducting exams amid the pandemic.

Some schools had full-length papers and some conducted shorter exams with fewer marks that were converted to a percentage. Some also conducted pre-boards exams in school after the state government gave them the go-ahead to reopen schools on February 12.

The schools had reopened for a brief period and had to shut down again because of the surge in the number of Covid cases.