SC dismissed the Plea demanding Cancellation of CBSE 10th and 12th Compartmental Exams

The Supreme Court of India has dismissed a plea seeking cancellation of the CBSE 10th and 12th compartmental exams today. Alternatively, the petition filed by 809 students led by Anika Samvedi had prayed for the declaration of exam dates. SC was supposed to hear and announce their results on the petition today i.e., August 20, 2020 which they dismissed.

CBSE COMPARTMENT EXAMS:

A three-Judge Bench of the Supreme Court today will hear a petition seeking cancellation of CBSE compartment exams for Class X and XII; or alternatively for the declaration of the exam dates.#SupremeCourt @cbseindia29 #compartmentexam2020 pic.twitter.com/tDPHp7s127

— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) August 20, 2020

A three-Judge Bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna dismissed the petition stating that a ‘substantive petition’ needs to be filed challenging the August 6 decision of the Board dismissing students representation to cancel the exams.

The students had filed a petition in July to scrape off the compartment exams for CBSE Class 10th and CBSE Class 12th. On August 6, CBSE issued a notification dismissing their representation and sticking by its decision to hold the exam. 

After their representation was rejected by CBSE, students filed a separate plea demanding cancellation of the 10th and 12th board exams. But the SC bench brushed off the plea and firmly stated that students need to file a separate petition challenging the August 6 notification by CBSE. 

The bench said, “A substantive petition needs to be filed to assail the August 6 CBSE notification. The CBSE has already given its reasons. You file that notification. We will give you the liberty.” 

In the petition filed by the students, they had stated that “in view of the rising cases of COVID-19 pandemic it shall be impossible for the CBSE to take the compartment examinations soon.” 

According to reports, about 1.5 lakh students from Class 10th and 87,000 students from Class 12th are supposed to appear for the compartment exams. 

In addition to the petition, the 809 students have written a letter to the Supreme Court asking the judges to take suo moto notice of the board’s decision to hold compartment exams amid rising COVID-19 cases and consider scrapping the same. Although the Court is yet to consider this letter.

Supreme Court dismisses plea to cancel CBSE compartmental exams for Classes X and XII#SupremeCourt #CBSENews @cbseindia29 #compartmentexam2020 https://t.co/lbBTBcsE5K

— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) August 20, 2020

The plea filled also urged the SC to issue directions to CBSE regarding a plan that ensures that neither the students are forced to appear for the exam during the rising number of COVID-19 cases, nor are they compelled to waste an entire year due to compartment in a single subject.

As per a report by TOI, students from India will have to pay Rupees 300 for each subject compartment exam while students from schools outside the country will have to remit Rs 2,000 for each subject.

In addition to the petition that has been rejected by the Supreme Court, AISA (All India Students Association) had also written a formal letter addressed to the Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ and Chief Ministers of the states. The letter highlighted the plights of students that are to appear for the examination amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.