Maharashtra SSC Exams:State Seeks Time To Tell Bombay High Court About Alternate Evaluation Process

The Maharashtra Government has sought two weeks to file its affidavit and give details of an alternate evaluation process for SSC students this year or explain its decision to hold HSC boards but cancel standard tenth boards.

The Maharashtra School Education department, however said it would conduct a common entrance exam for FYJC admissions, in a Government Resolution issued today.

The State sought time in a PIL, challenging its decision to cancel the 10th exams for nearly 16 lakh children but hold standard 12th exams and seeking the Central Government's intervention for a uniform evaluation process across all boards.

The State cited the staff crunch due to the pandemic for the delay.

"In view of the present pandemic, only 15% staff is attending various departments of Mantralaya, including the Education and Sports Department. Even otherwise, because of the pandemic situation, obtaining instructions in aforesaid regard preparation and finalisation of the affidavit is taken some more time," the application filed by the Additional Chief Secretary of the department states.

The effect of SSc examinations of other boards will also need to be examined, the plea states.

"Additionally, the effect ad consequences of the decision that may be taken not only at the Government level but also by the Court in regard to holding or not holding CBSE, ICSE, HSC etc., examinations will have to be viewed in proper perspective before filing the affidavit," it adds.

The High Court had earlier made critical comments against the decision to cancel SSC exams.

'In The Name Of Pandemic, We Can't Spoil Children's Future' : Bombay High Court Slams Decision To Cancel Maharashtra SSC Exams

According to news reports, the SSC evaluation is likely to be as follows.

Students will be evaluated on 100 marks for every subject. The beak-up will be 30 marks internal assessment based on the year's performance , 20 marks for home work/orals/practicals, fifty per cent marks of Class IX.

Students who are dissatisfied with this evaluation method can sit for a CET, common entrance examination for admission to class 11, after the Covid situation normalises.

It also clarified that the students attempting the entrance test will be given preference for FYJC admissions as compared to the Students who didn't attempt entrance test.

To oversee SSC results a seven-member committee headed by school's principal will be formed. The Board has said that the results will be announced by June-end.

Bombay High Court's observations.

On May 20, 2021, a vacation bench of Justice's Kathawalla and SP Tavade compared the SSC State Board to the Central Government's CBSE and autonomous ICSE boards, stating that the latter informed students in April about cancellations and decided their evaluation process, as well.

They have "also provided a very well-planned, comprehensive, and foolproof programme of how the students would be evaluated and promoted to the next class in a very fair and transparent manner," the bench noted.

The Court then directed the State to set out in an affidavit how Class X students will be uniformly evaluated, especially since every school has a different standard of evaluation. Moreover, no school is allowed to declare the student as failed up to 8th standard, and in most of the schools there were no examinations in the academic year 2019-20 of students who were in Class IX."

It further directed the State to explain how "they will ensure that the marks allotted at the school level are comparable across schools due to variation in the evaluation standards and mode of conduct of exams in the past years."