In a significant judgement, the Delhi High Court has ruled that if any correction has to be made in the certificates issued by the Central Board of Secondary of Education (CBSE), it must be done within two years of declaration of results.
The court passed this ruling while dismissing the plea of two students who have been running from pillar to post for rectification of their date of birth on their Class X certificates, for the past 13 years. A Division Bench of Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Najmi Waziri noted, "This court is conscious that the CBSE's rules of non-interference for change or correction of date of birth extends to two years after the declaration of the result of Class X examination. That, apparently has been done by way of policy, which the court does not deem appropriate to question or correct."
Petitioners Vijaya and Mamata Sharma moved the high court in 2008, alleging that CBSE refused to correct their wrong date of birth on their class X certificates, despite an inquiry by the Sub-Division Magistrate (SDM). The SDM had submitted that CBSE had wrongly recorded the date of birth of the two girls. Advocate for the petitioners, RK Saini, contended that the girls had been pushing CBSE to make the required changes since 2000, but it turned a deaf ear compelling them to approach the court for justice.
The petition has already been dismissed by high court once. A single judge order came in favour of CBSE in 2009 saying that no changes can be made after the time period for correction has elapsed. Petitioners appealed to the division bench challenging the single judge order.
Earlier, CBSE had said that according to its policy, changes cannot be made after two years from the date of declaration of result. Upholding the CBSE's decision, the bench dismissed the petition saying, "The court is not persuaded with the appellant's submission that the learned Single Judge fell into error," the Bench quoted.