Students of the Bengal board in Classes X and XII will be allowed to write the Madhyamik and higher secondary exams next year without appearing in a selection test, chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Wednesday.

“For the Madhyamik and HS exams 2021, there will be no (selection) test. All students who are currently in Classes X and XII will be allowed to appear in Madhyamik and HS exams 2021,” the chief minister said.

The education department, she said, decided to call off the selection tests because gatherings on campuses are not being allowed as a precaution against Covid-19.

Usually, the selection tests for Madhyamik and HS are held towards the end of November and the beginning of December.

The exams are conducted by individual schools and those who qualify in them are allowed to write Madhyamik and the Higher Secondary exams, which are usually held in February and March. Madhyamik is conducted by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education and HS exam by the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education.

The schools have been closed since March because of the pandemic. The chief minister had said last week that the institutions would remain closed at least till the first week of December, and any decision on reopening would be taken after that.

Mamata, however, did not specify the dates of next year’s Madhyamik and Higher Secondary exams. “It will be informed when the exams will be conducted... right now schools have not yet reopened,” she said when asked if Madhyamik and HS exams would be held in the usual time next year.

About 11 lakh students are expected to appear in Madhyamik and close to 9 lakh students in the HS exam next year.

The heads of government and private schools in the city said the health of children was a primary concern.

However, the government’s decision will lead to Class X students appearing in the first public exam of their life without any rehearsal.

“Considering the pandemic and keeping the safety of children in mind, the students should not be made to go to school and write an exam,” said Sunita Sen, the principal of The BSS School. “But without any mock exam, students won’t be in a position to evaluate themselves. So, before the final exam, if the situation permits, some kind of a practice or rehearsal could be organised that will boost their confidence and prepare them to handle the questions better.”

Sen also urged parents and teachers to ensure students get more exposure to sample questions. “Students should be encouraged to practise those within a stipulated time,” Sen said.

School heads called for a more pro-active role by teachers and parents in the current situation to ensure the students do not suffer.

“The decision to call off the selection test was taken perhaps to avoid the spread of infection. But schools could send model questions to students online. Students can write the answers at home and parents can submit the answer scripts to schools or teachers for evaluation. This will help the students,” said Parimal Bhattacharyya, the headmaster of Jadavpur Vidyapith.

This system, however, cannot be implemented in remote areas because many students there lack smartphones and internet connectivity.