HC raps CBSE for ‘treating students like enemies’

HC raps CBSE for ‘treating students like enemies’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: 15.12.2020

Delhi High Court on Monday rapped the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for its “anti-student attitude” and observed that it is “treating students as enemies” by dragging them in prolonged litigation.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan made the remarks while hearing aplea by CBSE opposing an earlier court order that improvement candidates be included in the reassessment scheme for students whose board exams got cancelled due to Covid-19.

“We don’t like this anti-student attitude of CBSE. You are dragging students all the way to the Supreme Court. Should they be studying or going to court? We should start imposing costs on the board...you are treating students as enemies,” an irked bench observed.

Addressing the issue at hand, it asked CBSE to explain “what is the harm” if the scheme applies to all improvement students.

A single-judge had held on August 14 that the scheme approved by the Supreme Court for assessing students due to cancellation of CBSE exams in light of Covid-19 will also apply to students, who appeared for improvement examinations as they are equal victims of the pandemic.

“There is no earthshaking emergency for you to come to court now all guns blazing,” the bench pointed out, adding that CBSE should have itself gone to the apex court to seek a clarification, instead of dragging students to court.

The August 14 order had come on a plea by a student who appeared in the CBSE Class XII exams but sought improvement since one of the papers was cancelled. The court had directed CBSE to issue a corrected marksheet, which was done. However, it also challenged the order.

The high court issued notice to the student and sought his reply to the CBSE’s plea. The bench listed the matter for hearing on February 5, 2021.