The Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday stayed a Haryana government move to hold examination for the students, who are opting science subjects in class 11th in state schools.
The high court bench of justice Manjari Nehru Kaul passed the order on the plea of NISA Education, a society of private schools in the state.
The society had challenged multiple communication from Board of School Education, Haryana, vide which it was directed that the students wanting to opt for the science stream in 10+1 will have to take an examination. The board had also asked the school authorities to upload the consent of such students for the examination on the website by June 17, failing which the report/result of the students would be treated as ‘zero’.
The schools had told court that government move is discriminatory in nature, more so, in the current conditions prevailing across the globe due to the outbreak of pandemic COVID-19, as the exam has been made mandatory for students wanting science stream in 10+1.
The court was told that due to Covid-19 outbreak the result was to be declared on average basis but now after elapsing of four months from the start of next academic session and all the students have got the admission in 10+1 classes, the board is planning to conduct the examination. It was also stated that the higher and technical education departments came out with a notification on June 23 by which the universities and colleges are not going to conduct the examinations and students would be promoted by a notified criterion. The schools have demanded that same criterion should be adopted by the students opting science studies.
{{/usCountry}}The court was told that due to Covid-19 outbreak the result was to be declared on average basis but now after elapsing of four months from the start of next academic session and all the students have got the admission in 10+1 classes, the board is planning to conduct the examination. It was also stated that the higher and technical education departments came out with a notification on June 23 by which the universities and colleges are not going to conduct the examinations and students would be promoted by a notified criterion. The schools have demanded that same criterion should be adopted by the students opting science studies.
{{/usCountry}}The schools have also termed the move in violation of guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs under Disaster Management Act, 2005. When the country is going into the ‘community spread’ of COVID-19 and Coronavirus cases are increasing day by day, the board is going to conduct the examination, the court was told.
The court has sought response from the government and Board, by July 6 further directing that the conduct of the examination will remain stayed till the next date of hearing.