Kolkata, Nov 12 (IANS): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Wednesday that no selection or pre-board examinations would be held this year for students of Class X and Class XII in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The decision will be implemented for the students of West Bengal secondary and higher secondary boards.

"The students will directly appear for the board examinations in 2021," the CM said.

She said that due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the state education department has decided that students currently studying in Class X and XII would not have to appear for their pre-board tests.

Earlier, Banerjee had said that the state administration would think of reopening educational institutions across Bengal after Kali Puja. The decision to reopen educational institutions would depend on the Covid-19 situation.

The decision was taken by the Mamata Banerjee-led state administration amid speculation that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) might change the schedule of Class X and Class X exams in 2021 due to the pandemic.

Earlier, the CBSE had also deferred the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) owing to the ongoing pandemic situation. The CTET examination will now be held on January 31, 2021.