The offline ICSE (Class X) and ISC (Class XII) improvement and compartment examinations will start on August 16, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations announced on Friday.

The exams for the ICSE will end on September 2 and those for the ISC on September 7. The council has published the timetable on its website and issued safety instructions to be followed by the examinees. “The results of the Compartment and Improvement Examinations will be declared around September 20, 2021,” Gerry Arathoon, chief executive and secretary of the council, said.

The examinees must return the original copies of their previous statement of marks and pass certificate to the council through their school. “On receipt of the same, the revised statement of marks and the pass certificates, if applicable, will be sent to the candidates’ school. These marks will reflect their updated marks in the subject/s for which he/ she appeared,” the council said.

“The marks obtained by the candidates in the improvement examination shall be considered their final marks.”

Candidates who are unable to take the improvement examination will be marked absent, and the marks already awarded to them will remain unchanged.

“Candidates are required to bring their own writing stationery/ art material and avoid sharing the same with other candidates,” the council said. “Candidates must use face masks/ cover and carry their own hand sanitiser. The use of gloves is optional.”

The examinees must reach the exam centre well ahead of time to ensure staggered movement and smooth entry, the council said.

This year's ICSE and ISC candidates have been awarded scores on the basis of past exam marks, project and practical work, and their schools' overall performance in board exams in the recent past.

Those unhappy with their scores and those who failed in certain subjects were eligible to register for the compartment and improvement exams.