The Bombay High Court will continue hearing on June 3 the plea challenging the Maharashtra government’s decision to cancel board exams for Class X .
A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G.S. Kulkarni was hearing a public interest litigation petition filed by Professor Dhananjay Kulkarni challenging the decision by the Secondary School Certificate Board. The PIL sought a direction from the court to hold the exams and not mark students without assessment. There are several interveners in the matter defending the stand of the State on not holding the exams.
At the last hearing, the court had asked the State to file an affidavit listing reasons for holding board exams for Class XII and cancelling those for Class X.
In an affidavit filed on May 31, the Maharashtra government defended its stand and said, “HSC (Higher Secondary Certificate) examination is a more important milestone in the education of students as their careers depend on it.”
On holding exams for Class X and not Class XII, the State said, “The stage at which two examinations are to be undertaken by the students in their overall career, the consequences and effects of undergoing the examinations are not comparable. Class XII students are more mature, independent, socially aware, bodily and mentally fit as compared to students of Class X.”
The court asked Uday Warunjikar, the advocate appearing for Mr. Kulkarni that once the State has decided on not holding the exam, can a writ court cancel that decision?
Mr. Warunjikar said the situation is different this year. The court interrupted him and said, “You think the situation is better? Corona is targeting young people. If the State thinks it is not wise to hold the exams, we do not have the power to strike that decision down.”
