CBSE gets 3 weeks to decide on ‘golden chance’ for Class 10 students who missed compartment deadlines
Class 10 students moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking a “golden chance” exam, claiming they were unable to properly take their exams due to school negligence.
It was noted that the compartment examinations of Class-X was already over. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to consider and decide a petition filed by the Class 10 students seeking a “golden chance” to appear for a compartment examination despite missing the deadline, alleging that a lapse on the part of their school affected their exams.
Justice Kuldeep Tiwari was hearing a plea filed on behalf of 25 Class 1o students seeking inclusion of their names in the list of candidates to appear in the compartment examinations, along with the All India Secondary School Class 12 compartment examinations scheduled to be held in July.
“In view of the above, the instant petition, at this stage, is disposed of, with a direction upon the respondents no.3 to 6-CBSE to decide the representations (Annexures P-6 and P-8) of the petitioners, within a period of three weeks from the date of this order. 6. Learned counsel for respondents no.3 to 6-CBSE is directed to inform the competent authority of the CBSE about the aforesaid direction of this Court,” the May 29 order noted.
Justice Kuldeep Tiwari heard the petition of Class 10 students seeking a golden chance to appear for a compartment examination after missing the deadline.
The aggrieved Class 10 students had approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court with the grievance that on account of their school’s lapse, they were unable to take their examinations properly, and requested the court’s direction to the CBSE to give them a “golden chance”.
What is ‘Golden Chance’?
It refers to a final and special opportunity granted to the students for reappearing for examinations or clearing a compartment, despite missing the regular supplementary and compartmental attempts.
Second phase of CBSE
In May this year, for the first time, the CBSE conducted second board examinations for Class 10 students after announcing the new system last year. According to the Board’s data based on the list of candidates, a total of 6,68,854 students appeared in the examinations. Of these, 85,285 candidates were appearing under the compartment category, while 5,25,655 students had registered for improvement examinations. Another 57,914 candidates fell under the combined compartment and improvement category.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) recently had the Class 10 second board examination from May 15, 2026. The second phase of board exams had been introduced for students seeking improvement and compartment opportunities.
‘CBSE Counsel on advance notice’
- Advocate Beant Singh Seemar representing respondents no 3 to 6-CBSE, appearing on advance notice, submitted that the Class 10 compartment examinations had already been conducted.
- He contended that the relief sought in the petition could not be granted, as the examination board was not currently contemplating any separate examination for the students who had failed to appear for the compartment exams within the prescribed time.
What is advance notice?
- Advance notice means providing information, an announcement or a warning about the case or hearing before the commencement of the case to the other side, before formally serving them.
- In the present matter, the other side (CBSE)was informed about the case or hearing in advance before the matter was taken up by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Court’s direction to CBSE
- The Punjab and Haryana High Court observed that at this stage the counsel appearing for the petitioners had limited their request to directing the Board of Examination to decide on their representations.
- The court also noted that through these representations, the students had requested a “golden chance” by conducting a separate examination for all those students who were suffering on account of the lapse of their respective schools.
- Noting that the counsel for the CBSE did not oppose the request, the Punjab and Haryana High Court said that the CBSE would decide on the matter as early as possible.
- In view of the aforementioned, the court disposed of the petition at this stage and directed CBSE to decide petitioners’ representations within three weeks from the date of this order, and directed CBSE’s counsel to inform the competent authority about this direction.
Orissa HC orders CBSE to publish Class 12 result cancelled over ‘similar answers’
The Orissa High Court has recently directed the Central Board of Secondary Education to publish the Class 12 results of a student within one week, observing that cancellation based on similarity of answers, in the absence of any proof of malpractice, amounted to a discriminatory “pick and choose” approach affecting her Right to Equality under Article 14.
Justice Ananda Chandra Behera was hearing the plea of one Barsha, who challenged the cancellation of her results over alleged indulgence in adopting unfair means during the examination of two subjects.
“So, the…conduct of the Opp. Party Nos.. (CBSE) i.e. the adoption of the pick-and-choose method in publishing the final result of all the students, except the petitioner, along with some other few students without any direct evidence or material is not free from discrimination, which is ultimately affecting the right to equality guaranteed under Article 14 of the Constitution of India, 1950,” the high court said in its February 26 order.
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