The ICSE (Class X) exams and the ISC (Class XII) theory papers will begin on May 5, the ICSE council announced on Monday evening.

The ISC computer science (Paper 2) practical-planning session is scheduled for April 8 and the ISC home science (Paper 2) practical-planning session and Indian music carnatic (Paper 2) practical is scheduled for April 9.

The ICSE exam will end on June 7 and the ISC on June 16.

Candidates will have to be seated in the examination hall/room five minutes before the time “fixed for the start of the examination in the subject”, but they must reach the examination centre well ahead of time to ensure “staggered movement and smooth entry into the school, to avoid overcrowding,” according to a statement issued by Gerry Arathoon, the chief executive and secretary of the CISCE.

The council has said candidates must follow the Covid-19 safety protocols strictly.They must “wear a face mask, carry a hand sanitiser, and avoid touching the face with their hands”.

The use of gloves is optional.Candidates must carry their stationery/art material and avoid sharing the same with other candidates. They must carry their water bottles and must not share food or water with others.

The Covid-19 Safety Instructions to be followed by candidates at examination centres say: “Candidates should follow respiratory etiquette strictly while coughing or sneezing. This involves the practice of covering one's mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing.... Candidates need to inform the Supervising Examiner/Invigilator and follow the protocol laid down by the school in case they are not feeling well.”

The candidates have also been instructed to avoid overcrowding at all places on the school campus, including washrooms, laboratories, classrooms, corridors, library, playground etc. The candidates need to strictly follow any additional safety instructions issued by the examination centre.

The ISC theory papers will start at 2pm and the ICSE papers at 11am. For both Class X and XII exams, the art papers will begin at 9am.

The ICSE exams will begin with English Language-English Paper 1 and ISC theory papers with Business Studies.

The council has said that the date and time for practical examinations (for ISC) of physics, chemistry, biology, biotechnology, Indian music (Hindustani), fashion designing, physical education, computer science (examination session) and home science (examination session) will be announced by the schools concerned.

The council had earlier announced that the ISC practical exams would have to be scheduled between April 1 and May 31. Several schools said they would try to schedule the practicals before the start of the theory papers.

The results of both exams would be published in July, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) said.

The announcement of the schedule has brought relief to thousands of students and parents across the state who had been waiting for the timetable of the board exams, which are usually held in February-March. About 35,000 students will appear in the ICSE and 25,000 in the ISC exams from Bengal. This year the exams have been delayed because of the pandemic.