CBSE-ICSE Students’ Hybrid Option Plea For Class X-XII Term Exams Dismissed

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a writ petition filed by students seeking urgent directions to conduct Class X and XII CBSE and ICSE Term I exams in a hybrid manner for November 18, 2021.

The bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar and CT Ravikumar dismissed the petition observing that the CBSE term exams have already commenced on November 16 and intervention at this juncture will disturb the process. The bench also noted in the order that the ICSE term exams are commencing from next Monday, November 22.

Passing strong remarks during the hearing and warning petitioners against last-minute interruption, the SC said, “Don’t mess up with the education system. Let the authorities do their job well. It is too late now. This last-minute business should be discouraged.”

It would be inappropriate to disturb the exams at this stage, the bench said, adding that the government has taken COVID precautionary measures to ensure the safety of students.

“Exam centres increased from 6,500 to 15,000. Exam duration reduced from 3 hours to 1.5 hours…Hope and trust that authorities will take all care to ensure that students and staff are not exposed to untoward situations,” the bench said.

The petitioners had argued that offline exams put them at the risk of COVID-19 infection.

“Continuous exposure through offline exams sharply increases the risk of infection to COVID-19 rendering the impugned action as arbitrary and in violation of Right to Health,” they said in the petition.

A hybrid mode of examination is the need of the hour, as it better facilitates social distancing, reduced strain on logistical constraints, they said.