The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the hearing on the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 12 Exams evaluation criteria till tomorrow. The court said that it is in principle agreed with the evaluation plan but will hear the petitioners before suggesting any changes in it.
Meanwhile, a section of students challenged the decision of CBSE, CISCE to cancel the physical examination for class 12 students. Vikas Singh Senior Advocate, appearing for the students, argued for conducting physical examination as the COVID positivity rate has come down. A vacation bench of Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice Dinesh Maheshwari heard the matter today and asked the Board to clarify on the grievances of the petitioner. The court will hear the matter again tomorrow at 2 pm.
The top court also adjourned hearing on another petition filed by class 12 private and compartment students against the board’s decision to conduct offline exams. The court said that it is necessary to finalize the matter while adjourning the hearing. A vacation bench of Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice Dinesh Maheshwari has listed the matter for hearing tomorrow.
The writ petition filed by the students’ states, “Like the regular students of CBSE, the candidates of private/correspondence/second chance compartment of class XII are interested and equally hopeful to get admission in various universities/colleges in India and abroad.” higher education.
However, if their examinations are delayed beyond a reasonable time until a conducive environment is obtained for conducting the examination, they will not only lose the opportunity to apply and take admission in these universities/colleges, but also they their fundamental right to education.”
Advocate Abhishek Choudhary, who is fighting the case on behalf of the students, said, “I presented the plight of these students before the Hon’ble Bench with reference to a possibility where these students would not be able to take admission for higher education in colleges/universities of India and abroad. Hon’ble Court assured that if necessary, counselling for such admissions can be postponed. I am confident about the positive result soon.”
The board had earlier introduced the 12th evaluation criteria stating that for class 10 and 11, the best marks out of three out of five papers will be considered in the term examination. For class 12 marks obtained in Unit, Term and Practical will be taken into account.
The board said that the class 12 results will be decided on the basis of performance in class 10 (30% weightage), class 11 and class 12 (40% weightage).
In its affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, the board said that in every school a result committee will be constituted under the headship of the school principal, which will consist of 2 senior PGTs of the same school and 2 PGTs from neighbouring schools. The committee will be given the freedom to prepare the result following the policy of the board. Class 12 results will be declared by July 31.
