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Pursuant to the Supreme Court’s order directing State Boards to declare the results by July 31, 2021, State Governments of Maharashtra and Meghalaya have approached the Top Court seeking one week’s time for declaration of the results of students. 

Due to the continuing pandemic situation, the State of Meghalaya has sought time till August 7, 2021, to publish and declare the results of the Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate of students of Arts stream.

“In the whole northeastern part of the country, including the state of Meghalaya, the advent of the second wave of CoVID 19 pandemic was more delayed than the rest of the country and is still continuing. The effect of a pandemic is still severe in Meghalaya and lockdown induced by the pandemic situation, especially in the capital Shillong is still ongoing,” the State of Meghalaya has averred in its application.

Citing its inability to compute the marks of the internal assessment due to flood situations in some parts of Maharashtra, the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education has sought one week’s time from July 31, 2021, to declare the results of the 12th standard.

“The board received internal assessment marks from various colleges on July 23, 2021. However, due to heavy rains in certain parts of Maharashtra which caused flooding and land sliding, few colleges were unable to adhere to the timeline given by the Board for submission of the internal assessment marks as almost all connectivity was discontinued. Colleges were unable to submit the internal assessment marks either offline or online,” the plea states.

By order dated June 25, Supreme Court bench of Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, while recording the statement of Andhra Pradesh Government of withholding the exam, observed,

“We reiterate all State Boards to ensure that after internal assessments results are declared on or before 31st of July, 2021 as has been directed in the case of ICSE and CBSE... Since the concerned states have decided to cancel the exam, we do not wish to entertain the other prayers in the petition.”

The developments came in the backdrop of a plea filed by child rights activist Advocate Anubha Sahai seeking cancellation of state board exams. 

Prayer was also sought for the constitution of a committee to decide the formula of assessment, including compartment students, and declare the result within a time limit. 

Advocate Sahai in her plea averred that due to the pandemic, some of the State Governments took the decision for cancellation of the Higher Secondary Certificate Examination (“HSC Exam”) which was scheduled formerly for March but some Governments have still not taken any decision regarding the same.

She further contended that the HSC Board has still not devised any formula regarding how they are going to assess the students of Class XII for their further admission, in the event of cancellation of the exam. 

It is pertinent to mention that on Saturday, Odisha Government requested the Supreme Court to grant more time to release the Council of Higher Secondary Education, CHSE +2 Arts results.

Case Title: Anubha Shrivastava Sahai v. Union of India