Karnataka Withdraws Board Exam Notification For Classes V, VIII and IX Following SC Hearing

The Karnataka government informed the SC that it has withdrawn the notification for board examinations for Classes V, VIII and IX in three rural districts.

New Delhi:The Karnataka government on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court (SC) that the notification for conducting board examinations for students of Classes V, VIII and IX, in the current academic year in three rural districts, has been withdrawn.

The matter was heard by a bench comprising justices Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the state government, submitted before the apex court that the state government had withdrawn the notification. Mehta said, “It was a mistake on our part. I can assure my learned friend that even if exams were conducted, no results would be out...”. The bench queried Mehta why is the state government keen on causing trouble for the parents and children, and added “There appears to be some ego problem on the part of the state….”.

At this juncture, Mehta contended that there were some errors in the grant of marks in the three districts, which also became the reason behind the notification for conducting examinations. After hearing submissions, the bench scheduled the matter for further hearing after a week.

The apex court was hearing an appeal filed by Organisation for Unaided Recognised Schools against the March 22, judgement of the Karnataka High Court.

The High Court's division bench had permitted the state government to conduct the board exams for classes V, VIII, IX and XI for the academic year 2023-24, overruling the March 6 order of a single judge's bench. The single judge of the High Court had nullified the state government's decision of October 2023 to hold board exams for these classes through the Karnataka State Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB).

The apex court in April stayed the High Court division bench order and an order passed on April 6 by the Karnataka School Quality Assessment and Accreditation Council "till further orders".

The counsel, representing the petitioners’, had submitted that despite the apex court's interim order staying the board examinations for classes V, VIII, IX and XI, the state government conducted a half-yearly board exam for Class X and a public exam for classes VIII and IX in September.