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Indian Express
7 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Kerala High Court cancels last-minute change to KEAM prospectus; Govt files appeal
The Kerala High Court on Wednesday struck down a last-minute change made by the state government to the KEAM 2025 entrance exam prospectus, calling it 'illegal, arbitrary, and unjustified'. The state government filed an appeal before a division bench against the single bench's decision, hours after it issued the order on a petition filed by a group of CBSE students who sat for the KEAM (Kerala Engineering, Architecture, and Medical Entrance Examination). The matter is expected to be considered on Thursday. Earlier, in their plea, the CBSE students argued that the change, issued on July 1–just an hour before the rank list was published–altered the method for calculating final scores of candidates. The court observed that the timing of the decision appeared suspicious. In the order, Justice D K Singh said that the change in the prospectus one hour before the publication of the rank list after the examination is wholly unjustified, illegal, and arbitrary. The court ordered that the rank list be reissued using the original formula specified in the February 19 prospectus. 'The change in the prospectus is set aside. The Commissioner for Entrance Examinations is directed to publish the rank list in accordance with the prospectus, which was issued on February 19, 2025,' the order said, while disposing of the writ petition. The court said that prima facie, it appears that somebody looked at the results and found that the students from the Kerala stream have not done fairly good, and to satisfy the constituency, such a mala fide decision in an arbitrary manner has been taken to change the prospectus one hour before the publication of the result on July 1, 2025. 'Such an exercise of power is wholly arbitrary, illegal, unjustified, and cannot be countenanced on any ground,' the order said.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Commissioner of examinations can make changes to the caste and religion entries of students in SSLC book, rules Kerala high court
Kochi: High court has held that the commissioner of examinations has the authority to make changes to the caste and religion entries of students in their SSLC books under Rule 3(1), Chapter VI of the Kerala Education Rules (KER), 1959. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Justice D K Singh issued the ruling while allowing a petition filed by Sudhin Krishna C S of Palakkad, who sought a directive to the concerned authorities to change his name and religion in his SSLC book. The petitioner, born to a Muslim father and a Hindu mother, was originally named Mohammed Riyazudeen C S. After attaining majority, he chose not to follow Islam and began practising the Hindu religion, having been raised by his mother in accordance with Hindu tenets. He subsequently applied to the district educational officer seeking changes to his name and religion in the SSLC book, supported by relevant documents, including a certificate from the Arya Samajam, Kozhikode. However, the authorities rejected his request, citing an absence of provisions under the KER, 1959, for altering religious identity in the SSLC book. This led the petitioner to approach the high court. The govt pleader opposed the plea, arguing that no authority had been notified under Rule 3(1), Chapter VI of the KER to effect changes in the caste or religion columns, and that the commissioner of examinations was only authorised to alter the date of birth. The court, however, underscored that the petitioner has a fundamental right to practise a religion of his choice. If a person changes their religion voluntarily and without coercion, fraud, or undue influence, such an act is protected under the Preamble to the Constitution and Article 25, the court noted. Upon examining Rule 3(1), Chapter VI of the KER — titled 'Alteration of Date of Birth etc.' — the court observed that the scope of the rule is not limited to date of birth alone; it also allows for other changes, including religion and caste, to be effected by a competent authority. Accordingly, the court directed the authorities to carry out the changes as requested by the petitioner with respect to his name and religion in the SSLC book.
