SC upholds Karnataka HC's order in favour of conducting SSLC examination in the state

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court has dismissed the plea against the Karnataka High Court order, which requested that the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examination be cancelled.

New Delhi:The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday upholds a recent order of Karnataka High Court that declined a plea against the SSLC examination scheduled on June 25th in the state of Karnataka.

According to the petitioner Rajashree, an educationalist running several institutions at Belagavi, conducting the SSLC board examination for school students will be high risk during this COVID-19 pandemic.

A bench led by Justice L Nageshwara Rao heard the petition. The SC had cited the Karnataka High Court’s order of giving nod to conduct SSLC examination.

"It is agreed that constitutional courts cannot interfere in academic matters. It is said an alternative option of appearing at a later date can be given. So if students can't appear on June 25, then an exam can be taken 2 months later," the SC said in its observation.

It is noted one activist named M Logesh and others filed a petition before the Karnataka HC and asked to cancel the SSLC examination scheduled between June 15 and July 4 in Karnataka.

“As lakhs of students, parents and invigilators have to arrive at 3000 examination centres, will make serious health risk during this pandemic,” the petitioners argued. However, the Karnataka HC dismissed the petition on May 27.

As the SC upheld the Karnataka HC’s verdict, about 8.5 lakh students have to appear for writing the SSLC examination.

It is noted Tamil Nadu following Telangana had cancelled the SSLC examinations and made an announcement that all the students have passed the SSLC examination.