CBSE Exam Leak: Petition Seeks Court-Monitored Probe, Liberal Marking In Re-Test; Delhi HC Issues Notices

With lakhs of students hit by CBSE exam leak, social jurist, a civil rights group, on Monday moved Delhi High Court seeking a court-monitored probe into the leak besides demanding some compensation for affected students by way of liberal marking in the re-test.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar asked the CBSE about its plans for the Class X Maths re-test after it told the court that it was ascertaining the extent of leak before announcing the dates for the re-examination.

The court issued notices to the CBSE and the Centre on Social Jurist’s petition for court-monitored probe and compensation for students who have been affected because of “criminal negligence of CBSE”.

Social Jurist’s advocate and activist Ashok Agarwal mentioned the matter before the bench saying the students and their parents have no faith in the “tardy investigation by police in the leak”.

Terming the leak a violation of fundamental right to education of over 28 lakh students who have appeared in the examinations, Agarwal said there is widespread anger among the students and parents and the entire nation.

“…the students are in the agitational mood and are feeling cheated at the hands of CBSE which was so far the most reliable, credible and popular examining body,’ the petition said.

The petition also pointed out how the CBSE is claiming that the leak of Class X Maths paper is restricted to Delhi-NCR even when the police have discovered the leak in Chhattisgarh also.

“…the students and parents strongly apprehend that the police agencies investigating the matter are not serious and appear to be under the influence of the government and CBSE to protect the corrupt.

“Therefore, it is necessary that the court may monitor the probe into the matter so as to ensure that the culprits are brought to book,” it said.

Agarwal also said the CBSE has so far not come up with any decision to compensate the students who have suffered due to its fault.

He suggested that the CBSE could have considered liberal marking or some concession for affected students and further concession or relaxation for physically challenged students who would have to appear in the re-test.

He said the CBSE has not taken any decision on how it would compensate the students who have suffered because of its criminal negligence more so when students have so many engagements like taking entrance tests, applying for courses overseas etc., after their Board exams.