The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has assured the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) that the decision to waive Sanskrit examination this year will not come in the way of students appearing for Class X Board examination.
The decision was on Monday communicated to the Supreme Court, which is expected to take up a petition filed by parents of KV school students who cited a Rule in the CBSE Curriculum that makes examination in third language course as a mandatory requirement to appear in the Class X secondary examination.
After the Centre abruptly scrapped German language from the syllabus of Classes VI to VIII and replaced it with Sanskrit as the third language, the apex court had asked Centre to consider a way out as children would be forced to study a new language close to their examinations. Pursuant to it, the Ministry of Human Resources and Development declared no examination for Sanskrit in this academic session.
The bench agreed to this solution but the petitioner parents suggested that the Centre did not do its homework as CBSE Rules required students to clear their third language course in Class VIII. In case a student is unable to clear this subject, an opportunity would again be available on reaching Class IX. If still, he or she fails to clear, the student will be disqualified to appear in the Class X public examination.
Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi informed the Court that Class X board examination was optional for KVS. But on insistence of the bench, he called a common meeting of Ministry officials and CBSE with KVS. KVS Commissioner Avinash Dikshit wrote to CBSE on December 8 apprising about the Court’s concern. In reply, CBSE wrote to KVS on December 10 assuring, “no student will suffer any disqualification in appearing in the secondary examination particularly in Class X, conducted by CBSE.” With this affidavit, the controversy is expected to be put to rest.