SC refuses to cancel offline class X, XII board exams

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (February 23) refused to cancel offline board examinations for classes 10 and 12 to be conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) and other boards.

The SC bench headed by Justices A M Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and C T Ravikumar heard a petition seeking directions to the CBSE and other education boards to devise alternative modes of assessment. Justice A M Khanwilkar observed: “This (such a petition) creates not only false hopes, it creates confusion all over to students who are preparing. Let the students do their job and let the authorities do their jobs.”

“Whenever examination is due, they (boards) will declare those dates, what is the problem,” the bench observed.

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At the outset, the counsel appearing for the petitioners, A S Sahai and others, referred to the order passed by the apex court last year in the matter pertaining to board exams amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bench said what had happened in the past cannot be the basis to pass order now. “Entertaining such petitions is creating more confusion in the system. Let the authorities take decision,” the bench said.

“What kind of petitions are being filed,” the top court said, adding, “It is not that because they were entertained last year because of the peculiar circumstances and situation, we will go on and this will become a norm.” The counsel argued that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had conducted the first term board examination in December last year in offline mode and the results have not been published yet.

The CBSE has decided to conduct term two board exams for class 10 and class 12 from April 26.

(With inputs from agencies)