Plea in SC seeks cancellation of CBSE Class 12 exams for private, compartment and repeater students
While the Central Board of Secondary Education's evaluation policy for Class 12 board students was widely accepted, a section of students who appear to be disgruntled with the board's decision to conduct exams for private, compartment and repeater students have knocked on the doors of the Supreme Court to seek relief from appearing in any offline examinations.
In an intervention application, the petitioners have sought appropriate orders and directions for cancellation of Class 12 private, compartment and repeater students this year. They have urged the court to direct the board to devise a formula for performance evaluation of such students, in line with the assessment formula adopted by CBSE and other education boards for regular students along with the request to release their results in a time-bound manner.
The petition has sought directions for CBSE to allow these students to file their objections within a reasonable period of time in case they are not satisfied with the results. The plea urged the court to direct the board to resolve the grievances and objections that would be raised by giving them "fair and equal" treatment with that of regular students.
"Like regular students of CBSE, the Class XII Private/Patrachar/2nd chance Compartment candidates are aspiring and are equally hopeful to secure admission in various Universities/Colleges of repute in India and abroad for pursuing their higher education. However, if their examinations are delayed beyond reasonable time till a conducive environment is achieved in order to conduct the examination, they will not only lose opportunity to apply and seek admission in these Universities/Colleges, but they will also be denied their fundamental right to education," the petition elaborated.
"This would not only be unfair and unreasonable but would also be violative of the Article 14 of the Indian Constitution, as no medical expert, professional scientist, body or agency can say conclusively about any date, probable or otherwise, which may be considered as conducive for conducting the examinations for Class XII Private/Patrachar/2nd chance Compartment candidates," it added.
Citing Clause 29 of Class 12 evaluation policy that the examination for the Private/Patrachar/2nd chance Compartment candidates would be conducted at a later stage when the conditions become conducive for conduct of such examinations, the petitioners questioned if there was any definite certainty regarding the situation.
"Owing to prevailing Covid-19 situation in the country, it cannot be conclusively said, as to when exactly we will be able to have such conducive environment necessary for the conduct of physical mode examinations. Most importantly, when the dates for various entrance tests, like CLAT, NEET etc., have already been notified, keeping the date of aforesaid board examinations in abeyance, would take away the equal rights of the Class XII Private/Patrachar/2nd chance Compartment candidates of the CBSE, to compete with other students, equally, at such national level entrance tests," it said.
Meanwhile, advocate Abhishek Choudhary backed his case by terming the board's move for such students as "unfair" and "unreasonable" even as he maintained that he was in full support of the overall evaluation scheme of the CBSE.
"Though I support the proposed scheme of evaluation for CBSE Class XII students, however, making the Private / Patrachar / 2nd chance Compartment candidates wait till we get a conducive environment for conducting examinations, would be unfair and unreasonable. These students are equally entitled to get there results in a time bound manner. There should not be any discrimination, whatsoever," advocate Abhishek Choudhary told India TV.
"If Private/Patrachar/2nd chance Compartment candidates are made to wait till normalisation of Covid-19 situation, they would be deprived of fair and equal opportunity to take admission in Universities / Colleges for higher education. This would violate their constitutionally guaranteed right to equality," he added.
Meawhile, when India TV reached out to the board, CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj said that the examination for Class 12 Compartment and Private students may be held in second half of August "if the situation is conducive".
"We are taking care of the safety and academic future of all our students. Interest of each and every student will be taken care. As far as examination for Class 12 Compartment and Private Students is concerned, it is expected to be conducted in second half of August if situation is conducive. We will also see that how the interest of these students is protected. Meanwhile, an assessment criterion is being finalised for Private/compartment students of Class 10. However, the same criteria cannot be applied for such students of Class 12 because we do not have more information about their learning and past achievements. Also, class-X students remained in the same system while class-XII students have to join other system. However, CBSE is fully committed to assist all of its students," Dr. Bhardwaj said.
On Thursday, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) released its policy for evaluation of Class 12 students which will be based on a combination of marks scored in classes 10, 11 and pre-board exams and informed the results will be declared by July 31.
According to the policy, the theory paper evaluation formula is 30 per cent weightage will be given to Class 10 marks, 30 percentage weightage to Class 11 marks and 40 per cent weightage to Class 12 marks obtained in unit test/mid-term/pre-board exams.
READ MORE: CBSE Class 12 evaluation formula: Marks to be based on Class 10, 11 finals, 12 pre-board
