Students can opt out of remaining ICSE exams, markson basis of pre-Board exams: CICSE to Bombay HC

The Council For The Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) informed the Bombay High Court on Monday that students of class 10 and 12 have the option to not appear in the remaining board exams of ICSE and have the result completed on the basis of marks obtained in pre-board examinations or internal assessment and also the marks awarded in the papers which he/she has already written before the lockdown.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice SS Shinde was hearing a writ petition filed by advocate Arvind Tiwari who sought directions for cancellation of the remaining ICSE board exams scheduled to be held from July 2 all over Maharashtra and declaration of results on the basis of gradation and past performance, legal news website LiveLaw.in has reported.

Previously, ICSE board or CISCE had scheduled the ICSE Board examinations between February 27 to March 30, but the examinations which began as per schedule were interrupted by the pandemic of COVID-19.

Senior Advocate Darius Khambatta appeared on behalf of CISCE and submitted that a decision taken by the Council wherein several options have been made available for the examinees. Apart from physical appearance to write the examinations, the decision also gives an option to an examinee, who is not willing to write the examination physically, to have his result completed on the basis of marks obtained by him at the pre-Board examination/internal assessment and also upon taking into account the marks awarded to him in the papers which he has already written.

As per such decision, the options have been invited by June 22, 2020 for the ICSE Board to take further steps in the matter.

The court noted, "The decision prima facie appears to us to be fair and reasonable. However, we wish not to close the matter here and now having regard to the importance of the issue involved in this PIL Petition. We request the Respondent No.2 (ICSE Board) to forward the decision to all the Principals of schools affiliated to such respondent with an instruction to share it with the parents of the students on the rolls of such schools. That apart, paper publication will be made in a Marathi, English and Hindi daily, tomorrow, giving a gist of the decision for information of all concerned."

The state has been directed to file an affidavit and clarify its stand after considering the decision of the ICSE Board tomorrow. The next hearing will take place on June 17 at 10:45 am.

The state government had informed the court on Friday that the situation on the ground with regard to the spread of pandemic of COVID-19 is serious in Maharashtra and therefore it will not be viable to hold the pending board examinations.

According to the petitioner, who is also the parent of a class 10 student, chances of infection are increasing everyday as the number of positive cases of coronavirus continue to rise in the state of Maharashtra. The decision to postpone the said exams was vehemently opposed by the petitioner who said it will put the health of students, teachers, non-teaching staff and parents at grave risk.