The Supreme Court on Monday has criticized the Karnataka government for “harassing” students by conducting board exams for various classes.
The court issued a stay on the declaration of results for board examinations of classes 8, 9, and 10 until further notice.
A bench comprising Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma expressed concern over the impact of these exams on students. “Why are you harassing the students? You are the state. You should not behave like this. Don’t make it an ego issue. If you are truly concerned about the welfare of students, then please open good schools.
Don’t throttle them,” the bench admonished senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, who was representing the Karnataka government.
The justices noted that no other state employs the same model of education as Karnataka. In response to the court’s concerns, Kamat informed the bench that the state government had retracted a circular mandating board examinations for classes 5, 8, 9, and 10 in 7 rural districts for the current academic year. He added that exams had been conducted in 24 other districts.
The court directed the Karnataka government to submit an affidavit detailing the examination process within four weeks. This hearing arose from an appeal by the Organisation for Unaided Recognised Schools, challenging a March 22 ruling by the Karnataka High Court.
The high court’s division bench had allowed the state government to proceed with board exams for various classes for the 2023-24 academic year, overturning a prior order from a single judge that had nullified the state’s decision to conduct these exams through the Karnataka State Examination and Assessment Board.
The Supreme Court’s intervention highlights ongoing tensions regarding educational policies in Karnataka, particularly concerning their fairness and impact on students.
As the situation develops, the state will need to clarify its approach to ensure that student welfare is prioritized over bureaucratic processes.
