The Supreme Court on Monday issued a sharp rebuke to the Karnataka government for conducting board exams across Classes 8, 9, and 10, placing a stay on the declaration of half-yearly exam results until further notice. A bench comprising Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma questioned the state's approach to education, calling it burdensome for students.
“Why are you harassing the students? You are the state. You should not behave like this. Don’t make it an ego issue,” the bench admonished. It urged the Karnataka government to prioritize improving schools instead of overloading students with exams. The court also pointed out that Karnataka's education model is unique, with no other state adopting such a framework.
Government Withdraws Exams in Rural Areas
Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, representing the Karnataka government, informed the court that the state had retracted its decision to conduct board exams for Classes 5, 8, 9, and 10 in seven rural districts for the current academic year. However, he acknowledged that the exams had already been conducted in 24 other districts.
The court has given the Karnataka government four weeks to file an affidavit detailing the examination process and addressing concerns raised during the hearing.
Ongoing Legal Battle
The legal dispute originated from an appeal by the Organisation for Unaided Recognised Schools challenging a March 22 Karnataka High Court ruling. The high court had permitted the state government to conduct these exams, overturning a previous ruling by a single-judge bench on March 6, which had invalidated the government’s decision.
The Supreme Court’s stay on the results keeps the case under its scrutiny, with the next steps to be determined following further orders. The court's concerns reflect broader questions about educational practices and the stress placed on students through multiple examinations.