Deepali Kalia –
Supreme Court stated that it will not permit the Andhra Pradesh government to conduct class 12th board exams unless the government is able to convince the Top Court that examination of about 5.20 lakh students can be conducted safely without even a single fatality amid the pandemic.
A plea seeking cancellation of all class 12th board exams was being heard by a Bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari.
All the other states except Andhra Pradesh have either conducted or cancelled the class 12th board exams. The State of Andhra Pradesh insisted before the Top Court that it will conduct the class 12th board exams by the end of July.
Both, Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) have also decided to cancel the examinations due to the ongoing pandemic.
Justice Khanwilkar remarked during the hearing, “Unless we are convinced that you are prepared to conduct the exam without any fatality, till then we will not allow it. When others have cancelled you cannot hold it to show you are different.”
The Bench asked the State about how it will arrange 34,634 rooms for 5.20 lakh students, the support staff needed and other necessary facilities for the examination.
Since the exams will be conducted in the last week of July then when will the results be announced because if late, students could be deprived of applying for higher institutions, the Top court further questioned.
The Apex Court thus has directed the State to give its detailed response along with information about the authority who took the decision to conduct the exams by 25th June.
The matter, therefore, has been listed for further hearing at 2 PM on 25th June.
