Fix ‘objective criteria’ for Class 12 marks, SC tells CBSE, ISC board

The court said that it will entertain objections to the criteria for awarding marks and it will also consider issues relating to the Class 12 examinations that are held by the state boards involving over one crore students, after resolving the evaluation criteria of the CBSE and CISCE

The Supreme Court on Thursday gave two weeks’ time to the CBSE and the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) to decide on an “objective criteria” for awarding marks to Class 12 students, whose board examinations this year were cancelled on June 1 in view of the intensity of the second wave of the Covid19 pandemic.

“We are happy to note that the government has taken the decision to cancel the Class 12 board exams, but we want that the objective criteria fixed for assessment of marks be placed before us”, said Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, who was heading a bench that also included Justice Dinesh Maheshwar. “As requested by the attorney general and the counsel for the CISCE, a request has been made to defer the matter for two weeks to place on record the objective criteria to assess the students since the decision to cancel exams has been taken. List after two weeks,” the court ordered.

The court also said that it will not give any further time for deciding on the objective criteria for the award of marks as students will be taking admissions in colleges in India and abroad on the basis of the Class 12 exam results.

However, the court said that it will entertain objections to the criteria for awarding marks and it will also consider issues relating to the Class 12 examinations that are held by the state boards involving over one crore students, after resolving the evaluation criteria of the CBSE and CISCE. “Have some patience”, Justice Khanwilkar told the large number of lawyers present in the court who were raising the state board matters, assuring everyone that they “will protect the interests of all Class 12 students”.