SC stays board exams for Classes 5,8,9 and 11 in Karnataka; orders results to be kept in abeyance

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed a Karnataka High Court order of March 22 which allowed board examinations to be conducted for Classes 5, 8, 9 and 11 in schools affiliated with the State Board. Karnataka asked to keep in abeyance and not communicate or circulate the results of the examinations at any cost either to the students or parents. The Bench accused the State of trying to create confusion among parents and children.

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed a Karnataka High Court order of March 22 which allowed board examinations to be conducted for Classes 5, 8, 9 and 11 in schools affiliated with the State Board.

A Bench headed by Justice Bela Trivedi directed the State to keep in abeyance and not communicate or circulate the results of the examinations at any cost either to the students or parents. The petitioners had submitted that the Karnataka State Quality Assessment and Accreditation Council, following the High Court order on March 22, had issued a direction on April 4 to schools to publish the examination results on April 8.

“The results declared by any school pursuant to the stated order shall be kept in abeyance, not be taken into consideration for any purpose whatsoever and nor it shall be communicated to the parents if not communicated so far,” the Bench, also comprising Justice Pankaj Mittal, said.

The Bench accused the State of trying to create confusion among parents and children. It said the State’s push for board examinations and even the March 22 order of the High Court were not in tune with the Right to Education Act.

“The State seems to be bent on playing with the future of the students and has caused a lot of physical and mental agony and hardship to students, parents and their teachers as also to school managements,” the court remarked.

The top court observed that the proposed board examinations were prima facie in the teeth of Sections 2(f), 16 and 30 of the Right to Education Act, which prohibited the exposure of children to the rigours of board examinations till they finish elementary education.

The court is hearing petitions filed by the Registered Unaided Private Schools Management Association and the Organisation for Unaided Recognised Schools challenging the validity of the State notifications insisting on board examinations.