Supreme Court Rejects Plea To Direct State Boards To Refund Exam Fee For Cancelled Class 10, 12 Exams

The Supreme Court has refused to direct state boards to refund the exam fee collected from students in respect of the Class 10, 12 exams which were cancelled on account of COVID-19.

A bench comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari rejected the prayer saying that the issue does not "merit consideration".

The bench approved the stand taken by state boards about their inability to refund the amount having spent the same for preparatory work and for making logistical arrangements for conducting the examination which had to be cancelled at the last minute

"For, the explanation offered by the boards on affidavit about their inability to refund the stated amount having spent the same for preparatory work and for making logistical arrangements for conducting the examination which had to be cancelled at the last minute, commends to us. Hence, this issue raised by the petitioners does not merit consideration", the bench observed.

Recently, the Bombay High Court had directed the Maharashtra State Board to consider a request made by a petitioner seeking refund of exam fee.