‘Court has given justice to SSC students’

Balasaheb Thorat, state school education minister, is happy with the Supreme Court’s ruling because now SSC students will be on a par with other board students.

Balasaheb Thorat, state school education minister, is happy with the Supreme Court’s ruling because now SSC students will be on a par with other board students.

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What is your response to the Supreme Court order?

The decision has come after huge persistence from our end and we are relieved that the SC has given justice to SSC students. The issue was not only bringing the 16 lakh SSC students on a par with other boards but also reducing their stress so that they score well.

What do you think helped you win?

Firstly, I am glad that we took a decision to go ahead and file an appeal with the Supreme Court against the Bombay High Court order.

We gave the ICSE students an option to get incorporated into our system and that worked to our favour. Not to forget the efficient lawyers who helped put forward our point of view.

What about the junior college admission process?

This is the third year in a row that students have suffered because of last-minute admissions hitches and court cases.

As far as the Best-Five policy is concerned, the decision was made way back in February. It is unfortunate that it was challenged just before the admission process started.

We will be more careful next time and try to bring in a comprehensive policy to try and regulate any last-minute hitches. But what is important is that we have a permanent solution in place at the cost of few days of agony.