Karnataka High Court Allows Board Exams for Classes 5, 8, 9, and 11
Bengaluru : The Karnataka High Court has overturned a single bench order that had halted the state government's plans to conduct board exams for students of classes 5, 8, 9, and 11 in schools affiliated with the State Board.
A division bench comprising Justice K Somashekhar and Justice Rajesh Rai K allowed the state's appeal and directed the government to conduct the remaining assessments for classes 5, 8, and 9. The board exams for Class 11 had already been completed during the litigation. The court has also instructed the state to consult stakeholders before notifying assessments for upcoming years.
Earlier, the Karnataka government had issued two notifications on October 6 and October 9, 2023, appointing the Karnataka School Examination & Assessment Board (KSEAB) as the competent authority to conduct the "Summative Assessment-2" exams. However, these notifications were challenged, leading to a single judge quashing them. The Division Bench stayed the Single Judge's judgment, and subsequently, organizations of private schools and parents filed special leave petitions before the Supreme Court, which put a hold on the exams by setting aside the interim order.
In the appeal, the state government argued that board exams were in the students' interest and that not conducting them would necessitate schools to devise their own exams, potentially lowering standards. The Additional Advocate General, Vikram Huilgol, representing the State, argued that the notifications quashed by the single judge merely designated KSEAB as the competent authority to conduct the exams, and the Government Order dated November 16, 2023, actually declared the intent to hold board exams for classes 5th, 8th, 9th, and annual examinations for class 11th for the subject academic year.
The court's decision emphasizes the importance of following due procedure and consulting stakeholders in matters affecting education policy and assessments.
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Unruly scenes witnessed in Punjab Assembly
Chandigarh (PTI): The Punjab Assembly on Friday witnessed high drama on Friday after Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira made an allegedly objectionable remark against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during an intense argument over the alleged use of mobile phone in the house by the legislator.
During the one-day special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha here, Mann accused Khaira of using a mobile phone when Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan was reading out an official resolution on the revision of wages.
After rising from his seat, the chief minister pointed to the speaker, claiming that Khaira is busy on his mobile phone and urged him to ask the Congress MLA what Sandhwan had said about the resolution.
The speaker then asked Khaira to maintain order in the house and listen to the resolution carefully.
Mann then asked Khaira, "Why don't you go out and then use it (mobile phone)," which led to a strong verbal altercation during which the opposition MLA hurled an accusation against the chief minister. Meanwhile, the speaker appealed for order and insisted that the chair be addressed.
However, both Mann and Khaira continued arguing and could be seen pointing fingers at each other as the proceedings of the house were disrupted.
The AAP MLAs also rose from their seats with Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema condemning Khaira for his conduct and demanded action against him.
Cheema further alleged that Khaira "always tries to disturb the house" as he spoke about his conduct in the assembly.
The incident occurred as an official resolution on the revision of wages was presented at the special session by Labour Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond who said it paid homage to labourers on the International Workers' Day.
"Workers are the axis of construction of the nation, the community, the state and society. Every construction project succeeds only through their blood and sweat," the resolution read.
As per the resolution, "The base rate of minimum wages for the working class in Punjab was last revised in the year 2012. Although the dearness allowance has continued to increase since 2012, there has been no increase in the base rate of minimum wages.
On this sacred occasion of May Day, in this special session of the legislative assembly, this house proposes to revise and increase the minimum wages of labourers and strongly recommends to the government to take a decision regarding the increase of minimum wages for workers, so that the contributions of the workers can be acknowledged." PRK
