Aasif Shahdab vs Secretary, Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad and others

A. K. Yog, J.—Aasif Shahdab. petitioner appeared in the High School examination. 1998 with Roll No. 1774849 conducted by the Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad, U. P., Allahabad.

Petitioner was issued a provisional mark-sheet indicating that his case was under consideration in the category ''W.B.'' i.e., case of suspicion of using unfair means reported by the Examiner.

On 18th January 1999, a learned single Judge directed the respondent''s counsel to produce original ''Answer Books'' of the petitioner, in question. On the request of learned standing counsel in the presence of learned counsel for the petitioner, I also perused the copies and find that on comparison, a person of normal prudence cannot with certainty come to the conclusion that student involved in the case has resorted to using unfair means merely similarity of certain aspects can lead to an irresistible conclusion that student/Petitioner in question has resorted to using unfair means.

This Court time and again held that similarity of answers cannot be a ground for punishing a student on the ground of using unfair means. Ground for suspicion of using unfair means is not enough. In this context reference may be made to the following decisions :

See 1. Ashok Kumar Sinha Vs. Lucknow University, Lucknow, .

AIR 1998 SC 5,

Rajesh Kumar and Another Vs. Institute of Engineers (India), ,

Ghazanfar Rashid Vs. Secretary, Board of High School and Intermediate Education, U.P., Allahabad and Others, .

Kumari Sushma Raghav and others Vs. The Secretary (Incharge), The Board of High School and Intermediate Education and others, ,

1996 (1) UPLBEC 76

1985 UBLBEC 829 (DB) and

1982 EC 117 (DB).

In view of the above, I have no hesitation to conclude that there is no material to support the conclusion of respondent No. 1.

The writ petition succeeds with direction to Respondent-Board to release result of the petitioner-student forthwith.