Karnataka Board Exams: High Court Allows Government to Resume Exams for Classes 5, 8, 9, and 11

In a significant development, the Karnataka High Court has granted permission to the state government to proceed with conducting board exams for classes 5, 8, 9, and 11. This decision comes after exams were initially stalled due to a stay order issued by the Supreme Court on March 12.The High Court's ruling allows the Karnataka government to resume its plans for conducting examinations for these crucial classes, providing clarity and direction to the educational authorities and students alike. The controversy stems from the Karnataka State Examination and Assessment Board's introduction of centralised annual examinations for Classes 5 and 8 in the previous academic year.

This move was extended to Class 9 and the first PUC (pre-university course) examinations through a September 2023 notification. The private schools association argued that the Right to Education (RTE) mandates continuous and comprehensive evaluation (CCE) at the school level for Classes 5, 8, and 9, rather than board exams. The association of unaided schools had approached the Karnataka HC challenging the order of the government. A single-member bench, which had heard the petition, stayed the government’s order.

Also Read: Supreme Court Halts Karnataka Board Exams for Classes 5, 8, 9, and 11

The government filed its appeal after this order. In its appeal, the government submitted that this injunction hampered the examination scheduled to be held earlier. However, after hearing the arguments, the court stayed the order of the single-member bench. For classes 10 and 12, the Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB) has released the schedule. The board has commenced the second PU exams and it will conclude on March 22, 2024. The SSLC examination will be administered between March 25, 2024, and April 6, 2024.