Amaravati, May 27 (IANS): The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to postpone the tenth standard state board exams, on account of the Covid second wave.

The decision follows a review meeting on Thursday that chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had with education department officials.

With partial curfew imposed in the state since May 5 on account of the pandemic, and several schools functioning as Covid isolation centres, the state's education department had suggested the examinations, scheduled to begin from June 7, be deferred, officials said.

Despite pressure from several sections of society, and opposition parties, particularly Telugu Desam Party, to cancel the examinations and promote all students, the state government has remained firm on holding the board examinations.

During the High Court hearing, Thursday, on a petition seeking deferment of the state board exams till such a time when teachers are vaccinated, the state government submitted that it is postponing the exams and will decide upon the issue, after reviewing the situation in the month of July.