Over 1k students move SC, seek cancellation of CBSE compartment exam

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 19

As many as 1,152 students have moved the Supreme Court, seeking cancellation of CBSE Class XII compartment exam as they demanded that the court-approved evaluation formula for regular students be applied to those in compartment, private and repeat categories and their results be declared on time.

They urged the top court to direct the CBSE to finalise a formula for performance evaluation of the Class XII private, compartment and repeat-category students in accordance with the formula adopted by CBSE and other school education boards for the regular students.

Keeping in view the safety, health and well-being of students, their parents and family members, teaching faculty and all stakeholders, the notification issued by CBSE calling off the Class XII Board Examinations due to Covid-19 should be given widest interpretation so as to include all categories of students, and not just regular ones.

According to the CBSE formula accepted by the top court on June 17, classes X, XI and XII marks will be considered in 30:30:40 ratio to prepare the final results of Class XII students will be declared by July 31. Marks in the best of three subjects will be considered for the purpose for classes X, XI and XII.

While 30 per cent weightage will be given for classes X and XI, for Class XII the weightage will be 40 per cent, for Class XII, the marks obtained by a student in his/her unit test/mid-term/pre-Board examinations will be considered while 20 marks will be given for practical in Class-XII, the formula accepted by the court envisaged.

The CBSE had said if a student wasn’t able to meet the qualifying criterion; he/she would be placed in “essential repeat” or “compartment category”.

However, the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) had proposed a different set of criteria to compute marks based on performance of students in the last six years and declare results by July 20. The court is to take up the matter again on Monday.

The petitioners alleged that the CBSE had attempted to give an unequal treatment to private/patrachar/second chance compartment candidates of classed X and XII, thereby creating a classification which had no reasonableness, rational and hence, “is prima facie, unfair, unjust, arbitrary, and unreasonable and violative of the principles of equality enshrined under Article 14 of the Constitution”.

Due to the prevailing pandemic situation, it was not advisable to conduct physical mode examination for the private/second chance compartment candidates, as it would endanger their lives the petitioners submitted.