Karnataka Second PUC Exam: Karnataka High Court questions State govt on different yardsticks for promoting repeaters, freshers, private students

The Karnataka High Court recently questioned the State government regarding different yardsticks adopted for promoting repeaters, private students and fresher students for second Pre-University College (PUC) exam amid the COVID-19 pandemic..The Department of Pre-University Education (DPUE) had announced its decision to promote regular/fresher students of second PUC based on first PUC exam while deciding to hold examinations only for repeaters by way of a notification dated June 3, 2021..While issuing notice to the State government and other respondents in a PIL challenging the June 3 notification, a Division Bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Hanchate Sanjeevkumar asked,"How can you have different yardstick for repeaters and private students and fresher students?".The Court asked the State if the health of the fresher students was placed on a higher pedestal.“You don't mind risking the health of private and repeater students but freshers' health you want to protect, everybody's health should be protected or not? Or tell everybody to take exams,” the Court said. .The Court demanded the rationale behind forcing repeaters alone to appear for the exam. "Why only the repeaters are to appear for exams? If you are going to conduct exams for these students, around 95,000…… then why not do it for fresher students also?”.The Court posed these questions to the State government after Advocate RP Someshekhariah appearing for the petitioner submitted that by the notification dated June 3, second PUC students are given the benefit of passing the examinations and about 7 lakh students will benefit from the same..However, around 95,000 students who are repeaters or private students will have to take the examination in future. .The petition moved by SV Singre Gowda and others, said that discriminatory yardsticks are adopted by the DPUE by proposing to hold examinations only for repeaters/failed students. It was submitted that the notification is bad in law and discriminates between various ‘categories’ of II PUC students.."It is submitted the notification issued by the respondents is biased one and they have not considered the interest of repeaters and private students who have to write their II Year PUC Examination in future. But, it amounts to discrimination and the State Government should have considered the interest of repeaters as there were about 95,000 students who have to take up their exams. In view of the notification, the education of the 95,000 students will be effected badly. Hence, the petitioner is before this Hon’ble Court seeking for a direction to consider the interest of 95,000 students who are repeaters in the failed subjects and they can be passed on the basis of the marks obtained in I year PUC or in the alternative, by giving grace marks to the repeater students who have failed," the petition stated. .The petitioner, therefore, sought quashing of the June 3 notification. .As an alternate prayer, the petition sought directions to the authorities to modify the notification and give the benefit of passing of II year PUC to repeater students and private students on the basis of marks obtained in I PUC..The matter will be heard again on June 17.