‘God save edu system’: HC raps state on SSC tests

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court (HC) has rapped the state government for not having a contingency plan in place for assessing students before cancelling Class 10 exams. The court has asked the state to file an affidavit on the measures it plans to take to address the issues raised in public interest litigation (PIL) related to admission to Class 11 given the cancellation of the Class 10 exams.

The court said that as the Class 10 exams were the last schooling examination for students, they could not be promoted without having been assessed, as it would have an adverse effect on their future.

A division bench of justice SJ Kathawalla and justice SP Tavade, while hearing the PIL filed by retired professor and Pune resident Dhananjay Kulkarni, was informed by advocate Uday Warunjikar that though the notification announcing the cancellation of Class 10 exams in the state was issued on May 12, as per news reports the decision was taken on April 15.

Government pleader Priyabhushan Kakade for the state submitted that the issue of coming up with an evaluation system for students of the state board had been referred to the State Council for Education Research and Training (SCERT) and their response was awaited. When Kakade did not respond to the court’s query on whether an examination would be held for Class 10 state board students, the court said, “Are you thinking of promoting them without examination? God save the education system of this country. This is the only examination and the last examination of their schooling. If you are waiting for suggestions from them (SCERT), who took this decision?”

Advocate Mihir Joshi for CBSE said that the performances of students of the last three years would be considered to ensure no student gets over and above what they usually get. Advocate Pratik Kothari for ICSE submitted that board would appoint experts and come up with a formula like they had done last year which was approved by the Supreme Court.

After hearing all submissions, the court addressed Kakade and said, “Exams have to be conducted now or later. If you are cancelling then you have to have some blueprint, not just some getaway for students.” Court then permitted the state to submit the decision of SCERT within a week.