Karnataka High Court disposes of government plea: SSLC results to follow marks-based evaluation for third language

He also informed the court that a large number of students, especially in rural areas, had opted for Hindi as the third language and were failing or scoring low marks, because of which their overall score was reducing, and thus were under a lot of stress. “Therefore, keeping the interest of students in mind, instead of marking, we are coming up with a grading system,” Shetty said.

The bench in its order said, “In the review petition, the state government is placing on record the draft rules which are yet to be notified by issuing a regular notification. As of now, there are no modified rules. Therefore there is no error in the record and this court is not inclined to interfere with the order passed on April 15.”

Observing that the judicial review is to be exercised only to interfere with the decision-taking process and not the decision of the government, the court permitted the state government to amend the rules for the future academic years in accordance with law. “I am of the view that it is always open for the state to take a decision in accordance with law and this court would not come in the way as it is in domain of the legislative to bring in any subsequent modification to the rules,” the court said.

On April 15, the high court had while hearing a petition filed by three minor students held, “The respondents (State of Karnataka) are directed to conduct the valuation of recently conducted examination for SSLC as per the existing rules which was prevailing as on the date of the issuance of notification as to the examination for the academic year 2025-26.”

The order added, “The respondent- state shall not change the procedure as to valuation without there being existence of the rules/circular issued on the date of issuance of the notification to conduct examination.”

Karnataka School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa had recently announced that marks scored in the third language will no longer be considered while calculating a student’s SSLC score. Rather than scrapping third language assessment entirely, the state board will introduce a grading system. Students will be awarded grades—A, B, C, or D—in place of marks, he added.

Recently, a coordinate bench of the high court had dismissed a public interest litigation filed on similar lines, and imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on the petitioner.