Karnataka HC allows govt to conduct board examinations of class 5, 8, 9, 11

approval to the State government for the conduct of board exams to assess students in classes 5, 8, and 9. These exams are scheduled to commence on March 11, according to the approved schedule.

The bench, presided over by Justice K. Somashekar and Justice Rajesh Rai K, issued an interim order by overturning the judgment of a single judge made on March 6. The bench's decision followed an appeal by the State government challenging the single judge's ruling.

The earlier judgment had invalidated the State government's decision to hold board exams for classes 5, 8, 9, and 11 starting from the academic year 2023-24. The single judge had declared that this decision was made without adhering to the due process of law outlined in the Karnataka Education Act, 1983. Although the single judge had also annulled the government's decision to conduct annual exams for class 11 through the KSEAB, exams for the current academic year had already concluded on February 28.

The single judge emphasized that the government's scheme of conducting board exams lacked the necessary rules under Sections 22 and 145 of the Karnataka Education Act, 1983. These sections mandate the government to formulate rules for the examination system, involving input from stakeholders before finalizing such regulations.

The single judge had observed that when implementing changes to the examination system affecting a large number of students, it was both desirable and mandatory to follow the democratic procedure stipulated by law.

However, in its appeal, the Government argued that the revised assessment/exam scheme did not imply a complete overhaul of the examination system. Instead, it aimed to introduce academic discipline and uniformity in the State's education system by involving the KSEAB in conducting a specific component of the overall assessment.

The Government further contended that this was not a traditional board exam; the KSEAB set the question papers, and a distinct method was employed to evaluate the answer papers.

(Source: Vartha Bharati)