Delhi: Wrongly failed, student wins one battle

NEW DELHI: Thursday brought a closure of sorts for Arjun Choudhary. For three years, he had been fighting for redemption after failing to clear his Class X exams for no fault of his. The cheque for Rs 1 lakh that he held in his hands validated his claim that the laxity of his teachers and education department officials had led to his failure.
“I couldn’t appear for three subjects in my Class X exams because of typhoid. But I sat for the re-examination and was surprised to find when the CBSE results were announced that I had failed in three subjects: English, science and Sanskrit,” Choudhary told TOI. “I did not believe I had failed, so I filed complaints. Later, I approached even the cops. However, when nothing happened, I wrote to DCPCR about my suicidal feelings.”
In its report on October 20, 2018, TOI had reported how Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) had found the education officials and teachers guilty of not having uploaded Choudhary’s internal marks and ordered the compensation. But the principal and two teachers of Government Boys’ Senior Secondary School in northwest Delhi had contested the panel’s findings in Delhi High Court.
The lapses came to light when Choudhary went to get his school-leaving certificate to pursue a correspondence course. The new principal enquired about his marks from CBSE, which informed him that the student’s internal marks had never been submitted by the school. School management committee member Vikas Saini counselled the young boy and helped him file complaints. CBSE also treated it as a special case and, on the Delhi education department’s request, added the missing marks to his result.
Choudhary is currently studying political science (H) from Indira Gandhi National Open University, while simultaneously undertaking an English-speaking course and computer training. He had scored 80% in his Class XII board exams. A good student, Choudhary lost eight months and was only admitted to Class XI in November 2017.
One of his teachers said, “Arjun was a brilliant student and had A grades in the 13 co-scholastic areas. It was only when the new principal came and realised he was a good student that he enquired from CBSE and the truth emerged. The DCPCR inquiry indicted three teachers, but two others actually escaped punishment.”
One of the indicted teachers explained why they had approached the high court. “The orders were based on a preliminary inquiry. Moreover, DCPCR also ordered an FIR against us, so we wanted a court stay on it.”
Choudhary, relieved that his trauma has finally ended, wants to spend the compensation money on his education. “I will use this money to take coaching classes for the Staff Selection Commission exams and hope to qualify for a government job,” said the unassuming boy. “I come from a poor family. My father sells spices and mother is a tailor. I will need to find employment as soon as possible.”