more-in Deciding that a public interest litigation petition filed against introduction of public examinations for Class XI from the current academic year is worthy of being heard at length, the Madras High Court Bench here on Wednesday ordered notice to the School Education Department, returnable by August 7. A Division Bench of Justices K.K. Sasidharan and G.R. Swaminathan took the decision despite the objection raised by Additional Advocate General B. Pugalendhi, who claimed that the petitioner, K.K. Ramesh, a Madurai-based activist, had not made out a case even for issuance of notice to the State government. Mr. Justice Sasidharan told him, “You cannot oppose issuance of notice. Make your submissions during next hearing.” Though the case was listed for admission for the first time last week, the judges had merely adjourned it in order to peruse a Government Order and find out the rationale behind the move. In his affidavit, the petitioner had claimed that forcing students to sit for public examinations in Class XI apart from Class X and XII would subject them and their parents to stress and mental agony. However, the G.O. passed by School Education Department on May 22 had stated that public examinations had to be introduced in Class XI too since many private schools in the State were skipping the syllabus meant for that class and had been teaching Class XII syllabus for both Class XI and XII students to make them score more. Pointing out that the syllabus for higher secondary classes was actually divided into two parts, first meant to be taught in Class XI and the second in Class XII, the G.O. read that failure to learn the first part of the syllabus resulted in many students finding it difficult to cope with their studies in college. It also said the decision to introduce public examinations was taken only after constituting an expert committee comprising senior educationists under the chairmanship of the School Education Minister and after obtaining the recommendations of three different sub-committees constituted for the purpose. It clarified that henceforth Class XI students would write public examinations for 600 marks and be permitted to clear arrears, if any, after joining Class XII.

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