XI Admissions : Govt defends in HC 'best of 5 rule

Updated on: Friday, June 18, 2010

The Maharashtra Government today filed an affidavit in the Bombay High Court strongly defending its decision to issue a Government Resolution (GR) in February this year introducing the 'Best of the five' rule for SSC students who are seeking admissions to standard XI. Under this rule, an SSC student will be able to choose five subjects in which he or she has secured better marks.
      
Some parents whose children had appeared for CBSC and ISCS board examination this year had challenged this rule in a PIL, saying same facility should be provided to them too. The matter would be heard tomorrow by Justice J N Patel and Justice S C Dharmadhikari.
      
The state said it had taken the decision after taking the views of Academic Council under provisions of Maharashtra Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board Act. The state contended that the proposal to introduce the impugned rule was sent by SSC Board on February 2.
      
The state said it had asked the Board to publicise the proposed amendment of introducing 'best of five' rule. The Board in turn had issued advertisements in newspapers and time was given till February 22 to invite suggestions and objections.
      
Accordingly, 250 views were received, of whom 189 were in favour of the proposal and 59 against it. Two others were neither in favour or against. On February 25, the state sanctioned the proposed amendment and GR was issued, the Government's affidavit contended.

On last occasion, the bench had restrained the SSC Board and the state from going ahead with the admission process. The admission process for Std XI is getting stuck in litigation for the last three years.
      
Last year, the state government carved out quota for SSC students for Std XI, on the grounds that since ICSE and CBSE board students scored more (because of a different exam pattern), SSC students had to be protected. But the quota system was struck down by High Court.
      
In the year before, state had come up with "percentile" formula, which gave additional marks to SSC pass-outs, on the same ground. But that too was held to be illegal by the High Court.

 

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