Chennai floods: Madras HC quashes PIL seeking postponement of CBSE exams

Petitioner P R Baloasubramanian, a city-based advocate & father of a Class X CBSE student, prayed to the court to direct CBSE to postpone the class X & XII board exams citing the rain havoc

The Madras High Court today closed a PIL seeking postponement of CBSE board examinations in Tamil Nadu in view of the recent rains havoc, observing that working hours of schools had already been increased by the Centre as part of measures to support the students.

The court agreed that the students faced a difficult task but said it was sure they would rise to the occasion to meet the situation as it noted that the examinations are scheduled in March next year.

"We are sure, the students from the state would rise to the occasion to meet the difficult situation and CBSE, the state and central governments would make all endeavors to support them in facing this task," a bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana said.

They also said the central government's counsel Su Srinivasan informed the court that endeavour to support the students had already been made by increasing the time period in schools.

Petitioner P R Baloasubramanian, a city-based advocate and father of a Class X CBSE student, prayed to the court to direct CBSE to postpone the class X and XII board exams citing the rain havoc.

He submitted children had lost their school books etc. And some of them their family members in rains and floods since last month and schools remained closed for more than 37 days.

The entire future of the students of Class XII class depended upon the board exams, he said adding because of the calamity these students would suffer in their performance.

Referring to another plea of the petitioner that the syllabi be cut short and a separate exam for the flood affected areas be held, the bench said it was out of question as students all over the country take the examination and there cannot be different parameters for different sets of students.