Shivangi Prakash-
Maharashtra Government was asked by the Bombay High Court, if a distinct syllabus for CBSE and ICSE pupils taking the Common Entrance Test (CET) for class 11 junior college admissions may be created.
In the alternative, the Court wanted to know if students who take the CET are given preference over other students if a specialised curriculum isn’t available.
A division bench of Justices RD Dhanuka and RI Chaglawas was hearing an ICSE Board student’s petition to nullify the State Government’s notification on the CET.
Due to the cancellation of class X board exams because of the pandemic, the notification establishes new grading criteria.
Admissions to class XI, popularly known as a junior college in Maharashtra, would be based on internal appraisal and an optional CET, according to the notification. The CET, in turn, will be wholly based on the SSC board’s syllabus.
Those who refuse to take the CET will be admitted based on an average of their Class X grades.
Advocate Yogesh Patki, the petitioner’s father, said that his daughter, like countless other ICSE and CBSE students, had not chosen science in the previous two years and so, would not take the CET. However, priority may be given to students who took the CET, thus jeopardising his daughter’s interests.
He went on to say that even if his daughter received 92 per cent, she might have to attend a college in Thane, Kalyan, or Dombivli districts because she did not take the CET.
Purnima Kantharia, the Government Pleader, stated that they have been registering students for the CET since July 21 and that they will only take registration applications through July 26. She also told the Court that the CET will most likely be held on August 21.
“Since the matter is proposed to be heard on the suggestion given by this Court on 28th July 2021, no interim reliefs are warranted at this stage,” the bench noted in its order.
It instructed Kantharia to obtain instructions on whether a distinct syllabus for the respondent CBSE and ICSE boards might be created to make preparation easier for the youngsters.
The bench granted petitioner Patki’s request that CBSE and ICSE file an affidavit in reply within one week, and announced that the petition would be heard again on July 28.
