Provide generators to SSC/HSC exam centres: HC to Maharashtra

Mumbai, February 16: The Bombay High Court today asked Maharashtra government to give an undertaking by tomorrow that it will comply with earlier orders to provide generators and inverters during load shedding at Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination centres across the state.

If the government failed to give the undertaking, the Principal Secretary of Education department would have to remain present tomorrow, said the division bench headed by Justice Abhay Oka, hearing a petition filed by Vishnu Gavali.

The bench expressed anguish over the apathy shown by the government, saying that the court had passed orders in July and September 2014 on this issue. The judges said the government had committed contempt by not obeying its orders and it would take action if the government failed to solve the problem during load shedding.

The observations of the bench came on an affidavit filed today by Prakash Thube, joint secretary, Education and Sports, saying that the responsibility of providing generators and inverters lies with the examination centres. The bench said the state cannot shirk its responsibility by the passing the buck to HSC and SSC boards.

"It is the essential duty of the state to ensure that electricity is provided at the examination centres," the court had said earlier. Gavali's petition alleges that the government has not implemented earlier orders. In July, the High Court had asked the state to provide generators, inverters and solar systems on a war-footing to schools as HSC/SSC candidates sometimes have to write in darkness, with ceiling fans not operating due to power cuts.

PTI