HC asks police to ensure security at board exam centres in North-East Delhi

Delhi High Court on Friday observed that shifting board examination centres at this time is not a viable option and asked the police to ensure proper security at the centres in the violence-hit North-East district of the national capital.

A single-judge bench of Justice Rajiv Shakdhar impleaded Delhi Government as a party to the proceedings and slated the matter for further hearing on March 4.

During the hearing, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) informed the court that a list of examination centres has been shared with the Delhi Police and the Delhi Government, adding that the examinations scheduled for February 28 and 29 have been cancelled but the ones from March 2 onwards will be held as scheduled.

The education board also said that they have sent the examination date sheet to various agencies including National Testing Authority, which holds IIT and Medical entrance exams, to ensure that their exams do not clash with the future dates of CBSE board exams.

The petition was filed by Bhai Parmanand Vidya Mandir and the parents of some of the affected students.

The CBSE said that the decision to postpone the exams has been taken in consultation with the Centre, Delhi government and Delhi Police owing to the violence in North-East district.

Suggesting to shift the exam centres, the counsel for the petitioner, said, "So far only one major paper, English, has been affected. Other affected exams are optional papers. But what about the other four main papers? My suggestion is to shift exam centres."

The petitioner said that two schools and several school buses have been charred during the violence and asked that proper security be given to the exam centres.

The development comes after at least 42 people lost their lives in the violence that hit North-East Delhi over the last few days.