In a ruling against the Congress-led government, the Karnataka High Court has instructed the Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board to assign marks instead of grades for the SSLC (Class 10) Hindi subject. The High Court dismissed the government’s plea for a review of the order related to awarding marks for SSLC Hindi. The court emphasized that the order to award marks will also apply to all third-language subjects in the SSLC examination starting from the 2025–26 academic year.
The court expressed concerns over the high pass rate in Class 12 exams and questioned the rationale behind a system aiming to pass all students. It highlighted the importance of maintaining the evaluation system as per the rules in place. The Advocate General informed the court that efforts were being made to amend rules to alleviate student stress caused by grades instead of marks.
Notably, the court raised objections to implementing a grading system that was not part of the original notification. It emphasized the need for clarity in the evaluation process at the time of issuing examination notifications. The court directed the government to adhere to the marking system for the Hindi subject for the academic year 2025–26. Students had filed a petition seeking guidance on awarding marks due to the impact on future competitive examinations.
Minister for Education Madhu Bangarappa acknowledged the court’s decision to maintain the marking system for this year. He mentioned discussions with the Chief Minister for a decision on the matter. The government assured students of a timely announcement of results without any technical delays. The political debate over the compulsory status of Hindi and other third languages for Class 10 students continues between the Congress-led government and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
