After much uncertainty, the board exams (Summative Assessment-2) for students of classes 5, 8, and 9 will resume on March 25. This follows the Division Bench of the High Court of Karnataka’s upholding on Friday (March 22) the State government’s decision to conduct the board exams for classes 5, 8, and 9 and take up evaluation for class 11 for the academic year 2023-24.
The Bench directed the government to continue the exams for the remaining subjects for classes 5, 8, and 9 and resume the process of evaluating answer scripts for class 11, exams for which are already over. The Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) has already conducted two exams for each class. Now, two exams remain for class 5 and four each for classes 8 and 9.
“The High Court Division Bench has given the green signal to conduct SA-2 for classes 5, 8 and 9, and the halted exams will be continued from Monday,” said B.B. Cauvery, Commissioner of the Department of Public Instruction.
Staggered timings
With the class 10 exam also beginning on Monday, to avoid a clash in timings, the Karnataka State Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB) has taken steps to conduct the board exams for classes 5, 8, and 9 on March 25 and on March 27 in the afternoon, since class 10 exams are scheduled in the morning. On March 26 and 28, when there is no exam for class 10, the board exam will be held for classes 5, 8, and 9 in the morning.
Amidst these developments, the Registered Unaided Private Schools Management Association (RUPSA-Karnataka), a petitioner, has decided to challenge the division bench order before the Supreme Court. Lokesh Talikatte, President of RUPSA-Karnataka, said, “We are fighting only in the interest of the children. Conducting the board exams for classes 5, 8 and 9 is in violation of the Right to Education Act 2009. We will approach the Supreme Court and challenge the order of the High Court division bench.”
However, the Associated Management of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka (KAMS) welcomed the High Court division bench order.
