Supreme Court Halts Karnataka Half-Yearly Exam Results Amid Controversy

The Supreme Court has halted the declaration of half-yearly exam results for classes 8, 9, and 10 in Karnataka, citing concerns over the state's unique practice. This decision comes in response to a plea challenging the board exams, as Karnataka government prepares to justify its actions with an affidavit.

The Supreme Court has stalled the release of half-yearly examination results for classes eight through ten in Karnataka, pending further notice. This directive was issued by a bench comprising Justices Bela M Trivedi and S C Sharma, amidst a hearing on the Karnataka government's contentious decision to conduct board exams for select classes.

Expressing its surprise, the court highlighted that half-yearly board exams are a rarity across other states, terming it an 'ego issue' by Karnataka. The court asserted that traditionally, board exams are conducted annually, and the notion of half-yearly board exams deviates from this norm.

The Karnataka government has been given time to submit an affidavit justifying the exams, reportedly introduced to combat declining student performance. However, the court has ordered an embargo on releasing the results until further instructions. In previous sessions, Karnataka withdrew its notification of such exams, but discrepancies remain unresolved.

(With inputs from agencies.)