In Ludhiana, Punjab, the parents of 18 Class 12 commerce students from Jatindera Greenfield School, Gurusar Sudhar, have moved to the Punjab and Haryana High Court after their children were denied roll numbers for their upcoming Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) board exams. The legal petition comes in the wake of a dispute that began with the students’ suspension following an alleged fight on school premises last October.
The students’ parents allege that despite settling all required fines and fees post-suspension, and receiving assurances from the school that the students would be allowed to participate in their board exams, the school failed to issue the necessary roll numbers. The parents claim that they were misled by the school, which had permitted the students to attend practical exams and had informed them that everything was in order for the final exams scheduled to start on February 22.
However, on the eve of the exams, the school principal reportedly informed the parents that the CBSE had not issued admit cards for the 18 students, effectively barring them from sitting for their exams. This last-minute revelation prompted the parents to take legal action, seeking an immediate resolution that would allow their children to take their exams as planned.
The school principal, Chander Shekhar, explained that the denial of roll numbers was not a decision made by the school but was a consequence of the serious nature of the altercation in which the students were involved. He stated that the school had reported the incident to the CBSE and had been cooperating with ongoing police investigations, including arranging for police escorts to an alternate examination center for the students due to security concerns.
The case highlights the complexities of school discipline intersecting with critical academic milestones like board exams. With the hearing scheduled for Tuesday, the court’s decision will likely address the balance between maintaining school discipline and ensuring students’ rights to education are not unduly compromised.
