The Bengal government on Saturday postponed the state board examinations for Class 10 and 12, which were scheduled in June, for an indefinite period, amid a raging second wave of COVID-19, an official said.

The decision was taken soon after the government announced a complete lockdown from Sunday till May 30 to contain the spread of the disease in the state, he said.

Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay said a revised schedule for the state board examinations will be announced later.

"No secondary and higher secondary examinations will be held in June," he told reporters at the state secretariat, 'Nabanna'.

Making arrangements for holding the Madhyamik examinations for Class 10 students and the Higher Secondary tests for Class 12 will be difficult during the lockdown period, he said.

The Madhyamik exams 2021 were set to begin on June 1 and Higher Secondary tests on June 15.

The education department will hold meetings with the authorities of the state boards to decide on a revised schedule for both the exams, Bandyopadhyay added.

Earlier in the day, the government announced that Bengal will go under complete lockdown from Sunday till May 30, with only essential services allowed to remain open, amid a surge in Covid cases across the state.

Schools, colleges and e ucational institutions will remain closed, the government notified.