PIL to vaccinate students appearing for Board exams: HC seeks Centre, Kejriwal government stand

NEW DELHI: A PIL in the Delhi High Court Friday urged it to direct the Centre and Delhi government to vaccinate all class 10 and 12 students who would be appearing for board exams in the 2020-21 session.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh issued notice to the ministries of Health and Education and the Delhi government seeking their stand on the plea by three lawyers.

The court also asked whether the COVID-19 vaccines being used now can be administered to those below 18 years of age.

The Delhi government standing counsel Santosh K Tripathi and central government standing counsel Monika Arora said the class 10 Board exams have been cancelled while those of class 12 have been postponed.

Advocates Jyoti Aggarwal, Sanjivani Aggarwal and Pradeep Shekhawat, who have filed the plea, have said that as per news reports the new strain of COVID-19 was affecting youngsters the most and therefore, the students appearing for the exams need to be vaccinated on an urgent basis if the examinations cannot be held online.