HC directs Kerala govt to consider relief for Class X students

The Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the state government to consider allowing 29 students of an unauthorised CBSE school here to appear for the Class X examination being conducted by the state board.

In an interim order on a petition by a trust running the school, Justice S V Bhatti directed Director General of the Education Department to consider issuing a government order to facilitate the students write the examination.

The Judge also pulled up the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for allowing such a situation where the students could not write the Class X board exam.

The state government counsel informed the court that the department was ready to examine the issue with a view to preventing loss of academic year for the students.

The students of the Arooja Little Star School at Thoppumpady were unable to take the ongoing Class X board exam as their institution did not have CBSE affiliation.

The school officials allegedly did not inform the students and parents about the non-recognition which came to light only last week.

In its plea, the school management said it had obtained permission for students to appear for the exams at another CBSE affiliated school but the latter 'withdrew' from the arrangement.

When the matter camp up for hearing, the regional officer of CBSE was present in the court complying with its order on Wednesday.

The court sought to know from the CBSE why no action was taken against the school which had been functioning without affiliation of the central board for the past seven years.

It also directed the CBSE to file an affidavit on all aspects, including the actions it intend to take against the schools lacking affiliation.

On Wednesday, the court had said the students should not be allowed to suffer and impleaded the Secretary, General Education, and the Director of General Education in the case.

The manager of the scand her husband have been arrested and booked under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property).