‘Burn Midnight Oil’: Supreme Court Tells CBSE As Class 12 Student From Saudi Arabia Seeks Improvement Exam Result

The Supreme Court on Monday sought the Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) response to a plea by a Class 12 student from Saudi Arabia, seeking directions to the Board to declare the results of his improvement exam.

Justice Manmohan told the Board’s counsel, “This is about the career of a child, he will miss all his admissions... Whatever it is, burn the midnight oil.” when the Board’s counsel sought time until June 15, saying “CBSE is already overworked".

Issuing notice in the case, the bench also comprising Justice Vijay Bishnoi fixed the matter for hearing again on Friday, June 12.

The petitioner, one Pransu had appeared as a Private Candidate in the CBSE Class XII Improvement Examination, 2026 from Al Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in the subjects of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, English and Computer Science. 

During the examination period, due to extraordinary war-related tensions and security concerns prevailing in the Gulf Region, CBSE cancelled examinations of several subjects, including Mathematics, English and Computer Science.

Recognizing the hardship faced by students in West Asian countries, CBSE issued an Assessment Scheme dated 27.03.2026 providing for declaration of results based on Quarterly, Half-Yearly and Pre-Board Examination performance and also contemplated conduct of Special Examinations wherever necessary. Despite the said scheme, the result of the Petitioner was not declared when CBSE announced the Class XII results on 13.05.2026 and his status was shown as “R.L. (Result Later)”.

The Petitioner repeatedly approached CBSE through representations dated 17.05.2026, 21.05.2026 and 30.05.2026 requesting declaration of his result either by applying the Assessment Scheme or by permitting him to appear in a Special Examination. However, no response has been received and the result continues to remain withheld.

Supreme Court has been told that non-declaration of the Petitioner’s result has seriously prejudiced his academic career as he has already applied for admission to Dhirubhai Ambani University and has paid the requisite registration fee. The University required the Petitioner to update his result status by 01.06.2026. Due to the CBSE's failure to declare the result, the Petitioner has been deprived of the opportunity to complete the admission process and is also unable to apply to other institutions.

Furthermore, Pransu has stated that he had filed the writ petition before the High Court Delhi at New Delhi but the Joint Registrar did not find the writ falling under “in the Category of Urgent Matter” and refused to register and list the matter before Vacation Bench of the High Court.

The plea has been filed through AOR Raj Kishor Chaudhary.

Case Title: PRANSU JIGARKUMAR PATEL vs. THE UNION OF INDIA

Hearing Date: June 8, 2026

Bench: Justices Manmohan and Vijay Bishnoi