Karnataka govt postpones board exam for Classes 5, 8, 9; Know more

The Supreme Court overturned a temporary decision by a two-judge panel of the Karnataka High Court that had suspended the Karnataka government's plan to administer board exams for Classes 5, 8, and 9 based on the state board syllabus. The apex court revoked the order and transferred the case to a division bench. Consequently, the government has postponed the board exams, as confirmed by the school education department.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court invalidated an interim directive from the Division Bench of the Karnataka High Court, which had authorized the state to conduct board exams for classes five, eight, nine, and 11. Justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mittal, presiding over the case, noted that the Division Bench should not have permitted the board exams through an interim order, especially considering two prior decisions by single benches that had invalidated similar notifications or circulars.

The Supreme Court was considering a set of petitions submitted by the Organization for Unaided Recognized Schools, RTE Students and Parents Association, and Registered Unaided Private Schools Management Association Karnataka, which contested the ruling made by the division bench of the High Court.

On March 7, a division bench consisting of Justice K Somashekar and Justice Rajesh Rai K issued an interim order by halting the March 6 judgment of a single judge in response to an appeal filed by the state government disputing the accuracy of the single judge's decision.

The single judge had invalidated the state's plan to conduct board exams for Classes V, VIII, IX, and XI starting from the academic year 2023-24. The High Court determined that this decision was made without adhering to the proper legal procedures outlined in the Karnataka Education Act, 1983.