[SSLC Exam] Score sheets of Karnataka Open School Students should reflect that they attended exam in the midst of pandemic: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court on Monday declined to grant relief in a plea challenging the Karnataka government decision to conduct Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC exam) in regular format spread over nine days for students registered with the Karnataka Open School System..However, a Division Bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and P Krishna Bhat directed that the marks card/ score sheet should indicate that students had appeared for the exam in the regular format in the midst of pandemic, a gesture which the Court said would assuage the feelings of the students. "We direct the State to indicate in their marks card that the students who have appeared under the Karnataka State Open School system examination, have done so, in a regular format and during the period between 26/07/2021 to 4/08/2021. The same being indicated in the certificate would, in our view assuage their feelings and would be a recognition of the fact they have attended the examination in the regular format, during the pandemic," the Court ordered. .Advocate Manohar P, appearing for the petitioner Puneeth Acharya Y, primarily contended that the State was discriminating between regular SSLC candidates and open school students. His argument that for regular students the examination was conducted over two days and in an abridged format which mandated them to sit for two days only for three hours each. This reduced the threat of contracting COVID-19, the Court said. .Students of Karnataka Open School system, on the other hand, were being given a step motherly treatment, by forcing them to appear for examination, over nine days with three hours each day, thus exposing them to the dangers of the virus. .He contended that there should be parity in conducting the examinations. "Even though examination has commenced today there is no impediment for revising the time table and conducting exams in the same format as has been done for regular SSLC students," it was contended. The government opposed the plea pointing out the difference in the number of students taking the exams in the two categories. Further, the threat of the pandemic prompted the State government to seek expert opinion with regard to conduct of SSLC. On the basis of the same, a format was devised for conducting exams for regular students in an abridged version. .It was further argued that as the exams have begun as per schedule, the Court may not interfere with the same as it is a policy decision taken by the department. .The government counsel also informed the Court that a separate Standard Operating Procedure has been issued for conducting the exams.The Bench, while refusing to interfere with the notification issued on July 5, took into account the fact that examination had commenced from today and that only 2,683 students would be appearing for the examination. .The examination will be conducted in 15 centers across the State and only 12 students will be allowed to sit in one classroom. "We are satisfied that SOP that is envisaged for conducting of said examination will be strictly implemented. Further, considering the low positivity rate of Covid-19, we find that despite the pandemic continuing this is an appropriate time to conduct exam," the Court said. .The Bench also directed the State to declare the results expeditiously.