Supreme Court has adjourned the matter to June 25 as CBSE has asked for two more days to submit its decision on whether to conduct the remaining CBSE board exams or cancel them. Earlier CBSE has decided to conduct CBSE 12th and 10th exams from July 1 to July 15.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appearing for CBSE stated, “the decision-making process is at an advance stage and would be finalized by Thursday.”
The top court has deferred the hearing for June 25. It will take up the petitions of both ICSE and CBSE separately and will announce the decision at 2 PM.
Last week, a group of worried parents of CBSE students had moved the apex court to quash the order to conduct the remaining CBSE examinations from July 1 to July 15 in view of the pandemic COVID-19. The parents had suggested in their petition that the students can be either awarded marks on the basis of internal assessment and in line with the marks allotted in practical exams. The parents had expressed the fear towards their children who can be more exposed to COVID-19 infection
Maharashtra, Delhi and Odisha governments have also been moved before Union Ministry of Human Resources and Development.
Three judge bench comprising of Justice AM Khanwilkar, Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, and Justice Sanjiv Khanna stated that the government is deciding. Let the government take a decision. These are unprecedented. The bench has also sought clarity on part of ICSE authorities in context to pending examinations and said, “take the informed decision of the government seriously and abide by it.”
In response to which, SG appearing of centre, and CBSE replied, “We cannot decide for the ICSE. They have to say ‘we will follow the decision of the government’. We cannot bind the ICSE to our decision, they have to bind themselves.”
Justice Khanwilkar has addressed Tushar Mehta that in the interest of the students, ICSE should go by what the government decides about the conduct of the exams. The decision of the government will be taken after consultations with experts. It will be an informed decision. ICSE abide by it.
