From the Editors: CBSE, ICSE exams postponed, what's next?

[File image] The two sides of exam postponement: The regulatory body that conducts the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) and Indian School Certificate (ISC) examinations for classes 10 and 12, respectively, yesterday announced the postponement of both the exams until the first week of June when a review of the situation will be done. This step was taken in view of the massive spike in COVID-19 cases across India in the last few weeks. While most school principals in Dubai welcomed the move, they were also quick to point at the flip side of the argument. With regular, classroom-oriented teaching having been curtailed in most schools since the start of the pandemic last year, a postponement of board exams is likely to trigger a fatigue among students as the current uncertain times drag on, apart from throwing into jeopardy their higher education plans with colleges and universities – particularly those class 12 students who are planning to go abroad. Moreover, as some Dubai school principals pointed out – the real challenge will now be to complete a ten-month curriculum in effectively six months’ time in the new session! - Sanjib Kumar Das, Assistant Editor

India struggling to contain the virus: New COVID-19 infections in India shot past 200,000 yesterday amid a devastating surge which is beginning to take its toll on the country’s fragile health system. It was believed India had seen the worst of the pandemic when infections began to plummet in September last year - but the numbers today tell a far different story. New Delhi announced stay-at-home orders for the weekend, with restaurants, malls and gyms shut down while more than a dozen hotels and wedding banquet halls were ordered to be converted into COVID-19 centres. India’s toll of 14 million cases puts it second behind the US and it ranks fourth in deaths. Clearly more needs to be done to get the virus under control. - Imran Malik, Assistant Editor

Spurs face end-of-season sweat: Tottenham Hotspur’s season hangs in the balance after they suffered a huge blow in Friday night’s 2-2 draw with Everton in the English Premier League. Not only did the dropped points hurt their chances of a top-four berth in the standings and Champions League football next season, but captain, talisman and top scorer Harry Kane limped of with a serious-looking ankle injury. Spurs are now five points behind fourth-placed West Ham, who have played a game less. Boss Jose Mourinho will also be sweating on the fitness of Kane ahead of next week’s League Cup final. Thank goodness they are only playing Manchester City ... Oh, wait ... - Matt Smith Sports Editor

Kartik Aaryan’s firing need not spell another scandal: Kartik Aaryan’s ouster from ‘Dostana 2’ has nothing to do with the death of Sushant Singh Rajput and perhaps fans had best keep perspective on the current scandal brewing in the film industry before jumping to conclusions and demanding a boycott of Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and Bollywood itself. The production house announced it will be recasting for ‘Dostana 2’, while adding it will maintain a “dignified silence” on any further conversations on the matter. As rumours go, the ones churning out by ‘sources’ includes the much-abused nepotism debate that pits Aaryan as the next Rajput who had no Bollywood connections and didn’t play by the rules set for outsiders. Rajput’s death last year stirred up a hornet’s nest, bringing into question film practices and how productions houses give preference to star kids over newcomers. While we may never learn the truth of Rajput’s circumstances or of Aaryan’s ouster, surely a company has the right to hire and fire an employee without a lynch mob waiting at its door. Not every mystery in Bollywood spells a scandal. Bindu Rai Entertainment Editor, Gulf News

[File image ahead of Papal visit] Iraq attacks increase fears of return to bad old days: As Iraq faces an election year, the sudden surge in violent attacks has alarmed observers. It is because most of the recent attacks are being carried out not by Daesh but by pro-Iran Shiite militias who are also part of Iraq’s paramilitary apparatus. The attacks against mainly Western targets have not been deadly in most cases, but highlight a willingness among the heavily armed militias to increase the tensions on Iran’s behalf, to give Tehran leverage in its regional agenda. Iraq’s hapless government is indebted partly to the US and partly to Iran. It is too powerless to do anything about its powerful foreign backers - the global superpower and a major regional power - playing out their rivalry on Iraqi soil.