Keypoints:
- Bombay HC lashed out on the government for its decision not to hold SSC exams.
- “This is not acceptable at all. You are destroying the system. The framers of the education policy in the state should know this,” the judges said.
On Thursday, the Bombay High Court came down heavily on the state government for its decision not to hold SSC exams.
While hearing a petition against the cancellation of the 10th standard exam by the Maharashtra government, the division bench of Justice SJ Kathawalla and SP Tavade said that, “In the name of the pandemic, you (government) cannot spoil the career and future of our children. You are harming the children and not helping them.”
“This is not acceptable at all. You are destroying the system. The framers of the education policy in the state should know this,” the judges said.
Lashing out heavily on the state on the decision for cancellation of SSC board exams, the court said that the government was making a mockery of the education system. It also said that if the state government was thinking of promoting the students without conducting any examinations, then “God save the education system of the state.”
Further, Justice Kathwalla added, “You (government) are making a mockery of the education system.”
Court has said that the class 10th board exams is important.
The court said, “Are you thinking of promoting the students without exams? If yes then God save the education system of this state.”
“This is the last year of schooling. The tenth standard is an important year and hence the exam is also important,” the court added.
PB Kakade, who is the government pleader, told the court that the government is yet to analyse on how to evaluate and mark the students and a decision will be taken within a period of two weeks.
“Students, who are the future of our country and state, cannot be promoted year after year without giving exams. We are only concerned about this,” the bench said.
With the government pleader, the bench enquired about how the state government had decided to cancel the 10th standard exams but had decided to hold the 12th standard exams. “Why this discrimination? It seems things are being done at the whims and fancies of the so-called policymakers,” the court said.
At the time of the hearing, the court noted that the Covid-19 cases in Mumbai and Maharashtra were reducing day by day.
It has been directed by the bench to the state government to file an affidavit which explains why the court should not set aside the decision to cancel the SSC exam, and posted the matter for further hearing next week.
