The Orissa High Court has overturned a decision made by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) that annulled a student’s Class 12 examination results. The ruling was based on allegations of “unfair means” due to the similarity of the student’s answers to those of nearby candidates.
Justice Ananda Chandra Behera was presiding over the case, wherein the student contested the CBSE’s ruling. In its judgment delivered on April 10, the court stated, “In the absence of authentic and concrete legal evidence that would support a conclusion of malpractice by the petitioner during the examination, the cancellation of the petitioner’s results cannot be upheld legally.”
The student, a minor, attended Padampur Public School in Bargarh district and was represented by his father. He took the Senior School Certificate Examination in 2025 at the Odisha Adarsh Vidyalaya, Bandupali examination center. The court was informed that while results for nearly all other students at the center were released on May 13, 2025, his results were withheld, marked as “result later.” On May 26, 2025, the CBSE’s regional office in Bhubaneswar issued a directive to cancel the entire result of the student.
The CBSE alleged that the student engaged in malpractice, citing that his responses in certain subjects closely resembled those of neighboring students. However, the minor contended that while results for nearly all other candidates from the same center were published, his were unjustly revoked.
The Orissa High Court pointed out that the CBSE’s decision was devoid of any “authentic/concrete legal proof.” The court noted that there were no reports of malpractice from the examination center’s superintendent, invigilators, or the examination monitoring squad during the testing period.
Additionally, the court observed that no incriminating evidence was found in the student’s possession during the examination, and the examination center itself had not been penalized for any widespread malpractice.
The court concluded that the CBSE’s decision to cancel the results based on mere speculation amounted to discrimination, infringing on the student’s right to equality as guaranteed under Article 14 of the Constitution.
Jagriti Rai is a journalist at The Indian Express, where she covers the critical intersection of law, gender, and society. Focused on a dedicated legal desk, she aims to make complex legal concepts accessible, investigating how changes in the judiciary and legislation influence the lives of citizens.
Her expertise encompasses socio-legal issues, offering a human-focused angle on contemporary social debates, particularly regarding gender rights and marginalized communities. With over four years of experience in both digital and mainstream media, she has honed a versatile reporting style shaped by her previous roles at prominent outlets like The Lallantop and Dainik Bhaskar.
Jagriti holds a postgraduate degree in Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) and a Master’s in Ancient History from Banaras Hindu University (BHU), equipping her with the historical context to analyze enduring social structures and legal transformations.
