ICSE board can adopt Best-Five rule too: State

For the third consecutive year, junior college admissions are likely to be delayed as the Bombay High Court on Friday continued its earlier order restraining the government from going ahead with admissions.

For the third consecutive year, junior college admissions are likely to be delayed as the Bombay High Court on Friday continued its earlier order restraining the government from going ahead with admissions.

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Acting Chief Justice J.N. Patel and Justice S.C. Dharmadhikari adjourned until Tuesday the hearing of a petition filed by 21 parents of ICSE students seeking parity with SSC Board students for whom the state introduced the Best-Five policy this year. The restraining order would continue to operate till then.

The petitioners contended that the Best-Five rule will artificially spike the percentage of SSC students giving them an edge over students from other boards.

The state, however, justified the rule saying it was open for the ICSE Board to adopt the same for its students. “It is entirely the discretion of the ICSE Board whether to adopt the Best-Five policy for its own students,” stated the affidavit filed by S P Khorgade, under secretary in the Department of School Education and Sports.

The state has objected to the ICSE Board’s marking system, which grants marks for Group 3 subjects — environmental science, computer applications, performing art and physical education — for which SSC students get no marks. Instead, SSC students get grades for these subjects, which are not counted while calculating overall percentage.

Besides, Group 1 and 2 subjects of ICSE Board carry 20 per cent internal marks and Group 3 provides for 50 per cent internal marks. “If the marking system of the three boards is compared, it is seen that ICSE Board gives advantage to its students over students of SSC and CBSE boards,” the affidavit contended.

The HC adjourned the case after the parents’ counsel Rafiq Dada sought time to amend the petition to challenge the amendments carried in the February 2010 government resolution introducing the Best-Five rule.