Hyderabad,  The Telangana government on Thursday decided to cancel the annual Class 10 exams and promote the students of intermediate first year (Class 11) without exams in view of the surge in Covid-19 cases.

The decision has been taken considering the present pandemic situation prevailing in the state and also keeping in view the decision of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to cancel the Class 10 exams, Special Chief Secretary, Chitra Ramchandran, said.

The results of Class 10 students will be prepared on the basis of objective criteria to be developed by the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) Board at a later date. Any candidate not satisfied with marks allotted will be given an opportunity to sit in an exam as and when the conditions are conducive, says the orders issued by the School Education Department.

The SSC exams were scheduled to be held from May 17. The department has also decided to promote all students of Intermediate first year without exams.

It also postponed Intermediate second year (12th class) exams scheduled from May 1 to May 19. The department will review the situation in the first week of June and future dates will be announced with at least 15 days notice for the exams.

All Intermediate second year students having backlogs will be given minimum passing marks for the backlogs only, says another order issued by the Higher Education Department.

It also announced that 25 per cent weightage of Intermediate exams will not be considered for EAMCET this year.

This is the second consecutive year that the authorities have cancelled the exams of SSC and Intermediate first year.