SC asks CBSE, ICSE to direct schools to disclose students whose marks were reduced under moderation policy

New Delhi [India], August 5 : The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Central boards to direct schools to disclose to all those students whose marks were reduced under the policy of moderation as envisaged by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (ICSE).
This direction was passed by a bench of the Apex Court, headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar and also comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna.
The bench heard the petition filed by an association of schools namely the Association of Private Schools of Uttar Pradesh.
During the course of the hearing, it was contended by counsel Ravi Prakash Gupta that as per moderation policy so announced by CBSE and ICSE, marks are reduced in a large number of students on the ground that it exceeded the highest average of three years marks of their school obtained by ex-students.
It was provided in the policy of 'assessment standardization' named as moderation policy so announced by CBSE that no student of any school shall get more than what was the highest marks obtained by ex-students in the past three years. Similarly, in the case of the ICSE Board the highest average was to be taken out of the past five years, he said.
Gupta contended that although this policy was held to be valid earlier by the Supreme Court with respect to the class 12 Board Examination on the ground that it was envisaged by experts as contended by the Attorney General appearing on behalf of CBSE and Union of India. But those students should at least be informed in advance about the reduction of their marks under this policy of moderation if any, he said.
Earlier, the Supreme Court considered the plea of these boards about their further schedule of optional examination and their declaration of result at the earliest so that those students who are opting for external examination may well appear in the competitive examinations for NEET and JEE as well as examinations for higher courses held by colleges/universities.
While ICSE Board gave the tight schedule for holding such optional examinations to be declared before September 20, but CBSE gave no such schedule and made vague submissions objected to by Gupta - Counsel for the petitioner.
The CBSE Counsel submitted the schedule of examination as per which the result of the optional examination was to be held latest by September 30, which was accepted by the Court.