On Thursday, the Bombay High Court came down heavily on the Maharashtra government for its decision to cancel the Secondary School Certificate exams for Class 10 scheduled for March. A division bench of Justices SJ Kathawalla and SP Tavade was hearing a plea challenging the state government`s decision in this regard. In April, School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad made this announcement in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra and added that the students will be marked on the basis of internal assessments.

State counsel PP Kakake informed the court that the State Council of Education, Research and Training`s suggestions were awaited after which the formula for admissions to the 11th standard will be devised. Stressing that the SSC exam is the main examination in the last year of schooling, the bench questioned the Maharashtra government on whether it proposed to promote these students without conducting exams. In response to Kakade`s submission that this step was taken owing to the pandemic, Justice Kathawalla remarked, "If it is pandemic how are you holding exams for 12th in the same board? What are you saying"?

Thereafter, the state counsel stated that he needed to take instructions from higher officers regarding the difference between the 10th and 12th standard students. This matter will be taken up for the final hearing next week. At present, there are 3,85,785 active novel coronavirus cases in Maharashtra while 50,26,308 patients have recovered and 85,355 deaths are reported.

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