Karnataka moves HC against SSLC valuation order; review plea filed over third language marking row

The Karnataka government has moved the High Court against a single judge orders to conduct the valuation of the recently conducted SSLC examination as per the existing rules, state minister Madhu Bangarappa has said. The recent Karnataka HC directive meant awarding marks, not grades for third language papers in the SSLC examination as announced by the government. The court had earlier this week directed authorities to conduct the valuation of the recently conducted SSLC examination as per the existing rules, when the notification was issued for the examination for the 2025-26 academic year.

The court issued the directive while hearing a petition filed by three students who appeared for the SSLC exam held between March 18 and April 2. The petition followed the School Education and Literacy minister Bangarappa's announcement on March 27 that starting this academic year, the government would replace the marks system for the third language in the SSLC (Class X) exam with a grading system that would not impact a student's overall results.

However, this announcement was made before the third language exam. "Hearing a petition by some students, the court asked to conduct examinations as per 2025-26 notification. The AG (Advocate General) has filed a review petition on this.....the AG said that with review petition we will fight the case," Bangarappa said. Speaking to reporters here on Saturday, he said that earlier, when a PIL was filed with a similar plea the court had imposed a fine on the petitioners. Some Hindi teachers who had filed a petition subsequently withdrew it.

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"Let's see what happens. I will also update the Chief Minister about this. Probably the case may come up for hearing on Tuesday. Let's see what happens," he added. Stating that there is no need for students to worry, he said the right decision would be made and things would be taken care of. "I will discuss with the Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) what has to be done and we will make a decision at the earliest. There won't be a delay in the results. Keeping in mind what the court says, we will take decisions appropriately," he said.

When pointed out that the SSLC results were tentatively scheduled to be announced on April 24, Bangarappa said there might be a one or two days' difference, but there would not be any long delay or deadlock. The minister while making the announcement on March 27 had said that until now, the Secondary School Leaving Certificate exams had a total of 625 marks, including 100 marks for the third language.

With this decision, the total will be reduced to 525 marks. Noting that Hindi is not the only language taught as third language in the state, the minister had then said, "but, Hindi is the most commonly taught third language." He had also said that most students fail in this subject, adding that this decision aims to ease that burden amid complaints that Kannadiga children find it difficult to read and write Hindi.