Bengaluru: In a significant setback to the Indian National Congress-led government in Karnataka, the state High Court has refused to accept the state’s attempt to introduce a new grading system for SSLC Hindi examination and directed that marks be awarded for the current academic year as per the earlier procedures.
A bench led by Justice E. S. Indiresh disposed the state government’s review petition challenging its earlier order and reaffirmed that evaluation must strictly follow the rules in force at the time of the examination notification. The ruling effectively blocks the government’s plan to replace marks with grades for the 2025–26 SSLC third language papers, including Hindi.
The state, represented by Advocate General K. Shashikiran Shetty, had argued that the grading system was being proposed to ease pressure on students, particularly in light of reports that over one lakh candidates had failed in the Hindi paper. The government had also indicated that it was in the process of framing suitable amendments to formalise the grading approach.
However, the court sharply questioned the timing and legality of the move. It observed that any change in the evaluation system should have been clearly specified in the SSLC notification itself. “How can a grading system, which was not part of the notification, be introduced after the examination process has begun?” the court asked.
In strong remarks, the bench said that altering evaluation criteria midway would be unfair to students and contrary to established legal principles. It further noted that if the intent was to ensure all students pass, the government should consider scrapping the examination itself rather than modifying assessment norms post facto.
The court clarified that while the government is free to introduce a grading system in the future, it must do so only after making necessary statutory amendments. For the current academic year, however, marks must be awarded as per the existing framework.
The case originated from petitions filed by students, including Sahana R. Naik from Chikkamagaluru, who contended that grading instead of marks would adversely affect their prospects in competitive examinations conducted by central agencies, where subject-wise marks are a key criterion. Accepting these concerns, the court ruled that the direction to award marks would apply not only to Hindi but to all third-language subjects in the SSLC examination for 2025–26.
The verdict has broader implications for the state’s education policy. In recent years, the government had shown interest in introducing a grading system for third languages, effectively treating them as qualifying subjects rather than scoring ones. The move was aimed at reducing academic stress but faced stiff opposition from teachers’ associations, parents, and student groups.
Critics argued that removing marks for third languages would reduce student interest in these subjects and could negatively impact future opportunities in higher education and employment. The issue also evolved into a larger debate over language policy and academic standards in the state.
The High Court’s ruling is being seen as a major embarrassment for the state government, which had defended its policy as a student-friendly reform. Legal experts note that the judgment reinforces the principle that academic rules cannot be altered retrospectively and must remain consistent and transparent.
With this order, lakhs of students across Karnataka can expect their SSLC third-language papers to be evaluated under the marks system, bringing clarity amid uncertainty. The focus now shifts to whether the government will pursue legislative changes for future academic years while complying with the court’s directive.
