Schools in riot-hit Delhi closed till March 7

Schools in the violence-affected areas of northeast Delhi will remain closed till March 7 as the situation is not conducive for conduction of annual examinations, the Directorate of Education (DoE) announced on Saturday.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), however, maintained that classes 10 and 12 examinations will be conducted as per schedule from March 2.

"Due to the prevailing unfavourable conditions in North East district of Delhi, the situation is not conducive for the conduct of examinations in this area. The state of mind of the students may also be tense and traumatised leading to lack of concentration towards preparation for the ongoing examinations," a senior DoE official said.

"Realising the mental state of the students and in order to help them come out of this traumatic situation, it has been decided that all government, government-aided and private schools in the North East district will remain closed for students up to March 7.

"However, the heads and staff of the schools will attend as usual. The new date of annual exams will be announced shortly," the official added.

The schools have been closed in North East Delhi since Tuesday due to the communal violence in northeast Delhi sparked by protests over the amended citizenship law that has so far claimed 42 lives and left over 200 people injured.

The CBSE had also postponed classes 10 and 12 board exams in North East Delhi and parts of East Delhi till February 29.

"CBSE exams for class 10 and 12 will be held as scheduled from March 2 onwards in North East Delhi as well. The board has filed an affidavit in high court and the court has directed police and Delhi government to ensure safety of students and render all help to conduct exams in these areas," CBSE spokesperson Rama Sharma said.

The DoE has written to the Delhi Police seeking adequate force deployment in and around exam centres.

"You are requested to deploy police personnel in adequate number in and around the schools under the jurisdiction to ensure the safety and security of the students and teachers as well so that the exam may be conducted smoothly without any further tension," the DoE letter said.

Frenzied mobs torched houses, shops, vehicles, a petrol pump and pelted stones at locals and police personnel. Jaffrabad, Maujpur, Babarpur, Yamuna Vihar, Bhajanpura, Chand Bagh and Shiv Vihar are among the areas severely affected by the riots.