SC seeks model plan on exam valuation

The Delhi High Court had directed the CBSE to preserve the answer papers of all the candidates for these two examinations in the last two years who had applied for rechecking of marks awarded to them.

However, the forum’s suggestion that the high court should review its order and direct preservation of all answer sheets of these two examinations was rejected. The high court gave permission to the forum to move the Supreme Court and had stayed operation of its order till March 16.

Counsel for the forum P S Sharda said a large number of studentsapplied for rechecking and to examine the evaluation process preservation of all answer sheets was desirable.

Counsel for CBSE, senior advocate P P Rao, submitted that lakhs of students appear in these two examinations every year and it would be difficult for the board to preserve all answer sheets, which would consume a large amount of space as well.

He suggested that the board be allowed to preserve five per cent of the answer sheets picked up at random in all subjects.

However, the court said that this would not be reflective of the issue in question and observed the scope of the special leave petition could not be restricted in this manner.

“Give us a scheme which will be representative in nature for the preservation of the answer sheets for the class X and XII examinations,” the bench said, adding it would pass suitable orders after examining the scheme.

Rao agreed to give a model scheme to the court regarding preservation of the scheme and the court adjourned the matter for four weeks.Counsel for the forum submitted that it would also try to prepare a scheme for court’s perusal.

While adjourning the matter, the bench said the high court’s order of February 16 should not be given effect to during the pendency of the SLP in the Apex Court.

The issue of evaluation has been simmering for long now. Every time the board comes up with a solution, there is some sort of problem and the solution withers away. But now the Apex Court has intervened and hopefully it will be for the better.