The Goa bench of Bombay High Court on Friday refused to stop Secondary School Certificate and Higher Secondary School Certification examinations scheduled by the state board from May 21.

Responding to a set of petitions filed before it, Justice Mahesh Sonak ordered that it will not be possible to interfere with the conduct of the examinations.

“Based upon apprehension expressed by the petitioners, not quite supported by any concrete material as such on record, it will not be possible to interfere with the conduct of the examinations,” the HC said.

“However, the state government and the Goa Board will have to take all measures necessary to ensure the safety of the students as well as the personnel involved in holding of such examinations,” the court added.

“Assurances in the replies filed by the state government and the Goa Board are accepted as undertakings given to this court,” the HC stated.

The petitioners had claimed Goa could soon be in the orange zone from green zone due to detection of fresh cases recently.

They claimed even in the green zone, schools, colleges and other educational institutions were not functional.