Karnataka HC to consider petitions against change in exam pattern for Classes 5 and 8

The petitioners had questioned the February 23 order passed by the single judge, who had refused to grant interim order against government’s December 12, 2022 circular on changing method of academic assessment of students of classes 5 and 8 for the academic year 2022-23

A division bench of the High Court of Karnataka on Monday, March 6, requested a single judge to decide expeditiously the petitions questioning the decision of the State government in changing the method of assessment of students of classes 5 and 8 for the academic year 2022-23.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Prasanna B. Varale and Justice Ashok S. Kinagi passed the order while disposing of appeals filed by the Organisation for Unaided Recognised Schools and the Registered Unaided Private Schools’ Management Association Karnataka.

The petitioners had questioned the February 23 order passed by the single judge, who had refused to grant interim order against government’s December 12, 2022 circular on changing method of academic assessment of students of classes 5 and 8 for the academic year 2022-23.

The Division Bench said that petitions need early hearing as the exams for classes 5 and 8 are scheduled to held from March 13.

The petitioners had questioned the correctness of changing the assessment method by conducting State-level ‘board exams’ instead of school-level assessment while contending that such a change at the end of the academic year adversely impact the students and the teachers.

However, the single judge had declined to pass interim order while observing that the December 12, 2022 circular does not does not contemplate conducting board exams.

The single judge had also noted that the circular clearly stated that there is no question of detaining or holding back of any student in the same class even if any student fails in the exams and hence new method of assessment does not violate provisions of the RTE Act warranting immediate interference of the court by way of interim order.