Best-five likely to stay this year too

Updated on: Tuesday, February 22, 2011

SSC pass-outs seeking admission to junior colleges in the state must gear for an uphill struggle for the second year running. A state education department notification has said junior college admissions for the next academic session will again be based on the best-five system.

This is despite a special leave petition (SLP) pending before the Supreme Court. During its pendency, candidates who appeared for the October 2010 SSC examination and those appearing for subsequent exams will be evaluated according to best-five criteria, and in accordance with a July 13, 2010 Supreme Court order.

“We had taken up the issue of the best-five admission system, particularly those who appeared for the October SSC exam. We were told that during the pendency of the SLP, students can be admitted to junior college as per best five,” a state government official said.

The education department had drafted the best-five system last year. Some ICSE students challenged it, claiming it gave state board students an unfair advantage. The Bombay HC had set aside best-five, after which the state filed an SLP. The SC granted interim relief and made the option concurrently available to central board students.

“The issue was if the SC’s interim order was applicable to subsequent exams too, or should we wait till the SLP is disposed of. In consultation with the law and judiciary department, we issued the notification for continuation of the best-five system,” the official said.

Best-five likely to stay this year too

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