Consider committee of all boards for preparing CET paper: Bombay HC – Hindustan Times

The Bombay high court (HC) on Wednesday asked the state to consider setting up a committee consisting of representatives of all boards to decide on the syllabus for the common entrance test (CET) to be held on August 21, for admission to Class 11. The state assured the court that it would consider the possibility of complying with the HC suggestion and respond by August 4. The court directed students from other boards to register for the CET as well.

The division bench of justice RD Dhanuka and justice RI Chagla, while hearing the petition by ICSE student Ananya Patki, a student of IES Orion School, Dadar, was informed by her father advocate Yogesh Patki that the petition sought quashing of the May 28 notification of the state government which stipulated that admissions to Class 11 would be based on CET results, the question paper of which would be based solely on the syllabus of SSC board.

Advocate Patki told the HC that after the syllabus for the CET was notified on June 24 it was felt that there was alleged discrimination against the 4 lakh students from the ICSE and CBSE students. He added that as his daughter would not be able to appear through the offline mode, her interest would be heavily prejudiced. In light of this, Patki, sought a stay on the May 28 notification.

On July 22, the Court had sought to know from the state whether there could be a separate syllabus for CBSE and ICSE students appearing for CET for Class 11 admissions and also asked the state that if such separate syllabus could not be prepared, the priority for admissions given to students who appear for CET could be withdrawn. The court had also sought data on the number of students who registered for the CET offline test.

However, on Wednesday, the government pleader Purnima Kantharia submitted that the SSC board could not venture into the syllabus of ICSE or CBSE and other boards to prepare the CET admission test based on it. She added that as the registration website had crashed, the process could not be completed till July 26 and hence it was extended by three days. In light of this, the data sought by the court could not be furnished.

After hearing the submissions the court said, “You (state) can form a committee consisting of all three boards so that there will be options. If there is an attempt to eliminate students from certain boards, then that is not a solution. How can ICSE or CBSE board students answer the Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) based on topics which are optional subjects for them?” The court also suggested having some part of the ICSE, CBSE and other board syllabus as part of the CET examination.

The bench while asking students from all boards to register themselves for the CET, said that their contentions would not be prejudiced and posted hearing on August 4. The bench then asked the state to file its reply to the suggestions and said that no further adjournments would be allowed. The court also allowed the addition of the IB and IGCSE board as parties to the case.