II PU repeaters too will be promoted sans exams, state tells HC

The government on Monday submitted before the High Court that it will promote even repeater students of II PU. Earlier, the Department of Pre-University Education (DPUE) had announced plans to promote regular/fresher students of II PU, while holding examinations only for repeaters.

The government informed a division bench headed by Justice B V Nagarathna that all repeater students will be promoted by giving grace marks to the marks obtained by such candidates in the earlier attempt in the respective subject.

The DPUE had constituted an expert committee headed by the joint director (exams) which deliberated on various aspects of examinations, including promoting the repeater candidates. The committee recommended promoting all the enrolled repeater candidates.

The memo filed by the government said all the repeaters will be promoted by giving minimum passing marks along with 5% grace marks.

However, for private candidates enrolled directly to the II PU examinations of 2021, the promotion scheme will not apply. All those candidates who had not appeared for the II PU exams in the previous attempt will have to appear for the examination which will be conducted by the DPUE after the Covid-19 situation improves.

The court was told that the DPUE will promote regular/fresher II PU students by considering 45% of their SSLC marks, 45% of the I PU marks and 10% of the internal assessment marks of II PU.

Recording this statement, the bench disposed of the PIL filed by S V Singre Gowda.

The petition claimed that repeaters/failed II PU candidates were being forced to write examinations, whereas fresh candidates have been promoted without any examination.

The petition had prayed for a direction to the government to treat repeaters equally by determining their merit based on marks obtained in I PU. The petition claimed there are about 95,000 students who may have to appear for the examinations.