Karnataka HC allows govt to conduct exams for class 5, 8 from March 27

BENGALURU: In a big relief for the state government, the Karnataka high court on Wednesday passed an interim order permitting it to hold class 5 and 8 examinations from March 27.
Staying the March 10, 2023, order passed by the single bench scrapping the circulars that allowed for the conduct of exams, a special division bench comprising Justices G Narendar and Ashok Kinagi also directed that the evaluation should not be in public domain. The bench also said that the questions should be from within the syllabus.
"The exams will be held from March 27. Everything is set. The question papers are ready. We have given an affidavit that whoever has read the textbook will be able to answer them," said Vishal R, commissioner, department of public instruction.
There is no retention policy. Whatever the court has directed, we will follow once the copy of the court order is out," said the commissioner.
"You (private schools) conduct exams/ tests at the drop of a hat. There are monthly tests, weekly tests, review tests, etc and they are used to it. It is not students but parents who feel harassed," Justice G Narendar said in a lighter vein.
Earlier, the government had submitted an affidavit stating that the questions in the proposed exam will be well within the prescribed syllabus. On the other hand, KV Dhananjay, counsel for school managements, argued that the circular also violates the Supreme Court judgment wherein it was specifically held that minority institutions, aided or unaided, are outside the purview of Right to Education Act.
While Recognised Unaided Private Schools Association expressed disappointment, Association of Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools of Karnataka welcomed the move. Concerns remained among schools on whether kids will be able to handle the questions.