HC seeks Maharashtra govt's stand on pending ICSE board exams

Raising concern over rising number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Maharashtra, Bombay High Court on Monday asked state government to clear its stand on permitting ICSE board to conduct its pending examinations of Classes 10 and 12 in July.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice S S Shinde said state government cant maintain an ambivalent and ambiguous stand, that if number of students who opt to appear for exams is few, n permission would be given for it.

Indian School Certificate Examination (ICSE) board had decided to hold its pending examinations from July 2 to 12 across state, after exams could t be conducted in March due to COVID-19 outbreak.

Mumbai resident Arvind Tiwari n filed a petition challenging boards decision, claiming that number of COVID-19 cases was still on rise and hence, it would be appropriate to declare results based on gradation and assessment of past performance of students in internal exams conducted by various ICSE schools.

board last week told HC that it has w decided to offer students an option to eir take pending exams in July or have ir final results, in subjects for which exams have t been held, determined by board based on ir performance in internal assessment/pre-board exams, results of which board has already taken from respective schools.

bench had n directed board to present its methodology about alternative grading for those students who opt t to physically appear for exams.

On Monday, board sought furr time to submit its methodology. court n sought to kw government's stand.

It said government cant adopt a wait and watch stand, and directed it to file an affidavit clearing its stand on issue.

What is government's stand if 50 per cent of students from ICSE schools opt to appear for examinations physically...what if percent of students is higher or lesser? court said, and posted matter for furr hearing on Wednesday.

court ted that number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra was still on rise and even mortality rate is high.

Petitioner Tiwari told court that board had conducted exams in Karnataka, and 24 students from a school had to be quarantined after far of one of students tested positive for coronavirus.

As per data submitted by ISCE board, re are 226 schools in Maharashtra affiliated with it and 23,347 students are scheduled to appear for Class 10 examinations.