Supreme Court Accepts CBSE Notification On Cancellation Of Board Exams

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday accepted the notification issued by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) confirming that the board exams for Classes X and XII Board exams stand cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A three-judge bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna also disposed of all litigation on the issue pending in other courts.

On Thursday, the bench stated that it would pass formal orders in the matter on Friday after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for CBSE and the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, submitted that the board exams for Classes X and XII stood cancelled, Bar and Bench reported.

The SC, however, was also apprised that optional exams for Class XII may be conducted when the situation improves. Students who opt out of taking these exams will be assessed on the basis of three previous exams.

At the start of Friday’s hearing, Advocate Rishi Malhotra, appearing for the petitioners, suggested that here should be clause stating that the students can opt to take the exam within 15 days of publication of results based on the previous assessment.

To this, the SG stated that CBSE was pro-student and said, “If the situation becomes conducive in September, then the student can decide in October too.”

Justice Khanwilkar then suggested that CBSE could scrap these optional exams at a later date, depending on the situation.

Taking a cue from the CBSE’s stand, the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) had also previously said that it would cancel this year’s Board exams.

Appearing for the ICSE, Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta stated, “We have seen CBSE’s affidavit. We largely agree, but our averaging formula will not be the same like CBSE.”

Gupta, however, clarified that unlike the CBSE’s stand, ICSE may decide to give the optional exam facility to Class X students as well.

He added that the results based on assessment of previous exams would be released by July 15.

Also Read: Know Details Of CBSE’s Assessment Scheme For Cancelled Board Exams

Also Read: CBSE, ICSE To Declare Board Exam Results By July 15