CBSE must fix sports cut-off after admission deadline: HC

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has made it clear that the last date for participation in any CBSE sports event must not precede the last date for admission to schools. The assertion came in a case where two students provisionally allowed to compete in a sports event brought laurels to the school.

“The court is sanguine that the respondent-CBSE shall be mindful of the situation that the last date for participation in any sports event organised by them, must be later than the last date for admission, thereby affording sufficient time to the students/schools to complete necessary formalities, and also as to avert any contradiction, as has been noticed in the matter at hand,” Justice Kuldeep Tiwari asserted.

The bench was hearing the petition filed against CBSE and another respondent by New Public School Society through counsel Ankit Midha. Among other things, he contended on ta previous date of hearing that the school admitted two students — one on July 7 and another on July 14. But the two – Afreen and Arhamar Khan – were not being permitted to participate in the CBSE Sports Tournament scheduled from August 5 to August 10. CBSE, according to the petitioner, was citing its notice requiring students to have been admitted and registered by July 5 for eligibility.

Midha argued that the last date to get admission in Class 11 as per CBSE guidelines was August 31. “Once a student can be admitted in Class 11 up to August 31, any candidate admitted prior to that, who is validly admitted to a school, cannot be denied participation in the sports tournament being held by the Central Board of Secondary Education,” he submitted.

He further argued that CBSE should conduct the sports tournament keeping in view the last date for admission “so that only the students who get admission in the academic courses up to the last date are allowed to participate”.

Describing the stand taken by CBSE as inconsistent, he submitted that there was “a discrepancy with regard to the last date for admission in the school and with regard to last date for participation and registration in the sports tournament of a student admitted in a school”.

As the matter came up for resumed hearing, counsel for the petitioner submitted that the students – in pursuance of the order – participated in the sports events. “Elatedly, he submits that the petitioner-school’s team achieved first rank in basketball, U-19 (Girls),” the bench observed.

The bench added further orders were not required to be passed as the petitioner’s grievance had already been redressed. “Before parting with the order, this court congratulates the students for bringing laurels to the school and wish them good luck for future,” Justice Tiwari concluded.