New Delhi: The Supreme Court made some harsh observations against the Karnataka government saying that it should not harass the students’ and refrain from making an ego issue, while restraining the state from conducting half-yearly board examinations for grades 8, 9 and 10 or declaring the results, where exams have already been held, till further orders.
The matter came before a bench comprising justices Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma. The bench minced no words in criticizing the state government, while senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, representing the state government, defended the decision. “Why are you harassing the students? You are the state. You should not behave like this. Don't make it an ego issue”, said the bench, adding that no other state followed the model of education which is being followed by the Karnataka government.
Kamat contended before the bench that his client has withdrawn a circular for conducting board examinations for students of classes 5, 8, 9 and 10 in the current academic year in seven rural districts of the state.
The bench made it clear to the state government that if it is really concerned about the welfare of students, then please open good schools. “Don't throttle them,” the bench told Kamat.
During the hearing, the apex court was informed that the examination was conducted in 24 other districts as well. Advocate K V Dhananjay argued for the petitioner for private unaided schools. The bench sought an affidavit from the state on the exact details of the examination in four weeks and put on hold the grades 8, and 9th half-yearly public examination, which concluded on October 1.
The apex court also stayed the half-yearly board examination for grade 10, which was concluded on October 1. About 8 lakh children across the state took this examination for 10th Standard.
Last week, the Karnataka government informed the Supreme Court that the notification for conducting board examinations for students of classes 5, 8 and 9, in the current academic year in some rural districts, has been withdrawn. Then, the bench asked Dhananjay to verify and revert. The apex court was informed that the state has only withdrawn the circular in respect of the seven districts, and they had not cited the half-yearly board examination for grade 10 in the other 24 districts.
The apex court in March 2024, had set aside an interim order of the Karnataka High Court's division bench order allowing the state government to conduct board exams for the summative assessment of students of classes 5, 8, and 9 as per the schedule.
Organisation for Unaided Recognised Schools had moved the apex court assailing the order passed by the Karnataka High Court.
