SC asks CBSE to declare compartment exam results at the earliest

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 22

As around two lakh students appearing for compartmental examinations stare at the grim possibility of missing an academic year, the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to declare the results at the earliest to avoid such an eventuality.

A Bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar also directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) not to release the academic calendar till September 24.

Maintaining that the both the CBSE and the UGC needed to work in tandem, the Bench asked them to inform it about the results and the cut-off date for admission on the next date of hearing on September 24.

Referring to COVID19, the court said there was a peculiar situation. 

"You (UGC) can make some room for these students? This is an exceptional year and you have to make some room. Academic career of two lakh students can't be hampered. If the CBSE declares results by end of October, then you can wrap up admissions by first week of November," said the Bench -- which also included Justice Sanjiv Khanna.

On behalf of the petitioners, senior advocate Vivek Tankha submitted that it was a question of future of lakhs of students who might miss an entire academic year and the agencies involved should take the pandemic situation into account.

The top court asked the CBSE to coordinate with the UGC to ensure that students clearing the Class 12 compartmental examination get college admission in current academic year. 

The CBSE's compartmental examinations are starting today and will go on till September 29.

The UGC counsel told the court that cut-off date for admission in colleges was October end and if CBSE declared the compartmental examinations' results before that date then students will be able to take admission.

The Bench wanted the CBSE and the UGC to work out an arrangement to avert a situation where a large number of students were forced to lose an entire academic year.

The CBSE counsel told the court that the answer scripts would be checked at 16 regional centres and it would take three-fourt weeks to declare the results.

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