High Court fines school board Rs. 25000 for denying merit certificate to student with 99% marks after revaluation

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The Himachal Pradesh High Court has reprimanded the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education (HPBOSE) for denying a merit certificate to a student whose marks increased after revaluation. The court imposed a fine of Rs. 25,000 on the board, stating that "meritorious students do not deserve such treatment."

Justice Ajay Mohan Goel observed that the board cannot shift blame onto school authorities for delays in document submission. The court emphasized that conducting exams, declaring results, and issuing merit certificates are the board’s responsibility, and it must ensure deserving students are not deprived of their rightful recognition.

The petitioner, Yashaswini Aggarwal, appeared for her 10th-class board exams in March 2024 under the HPBOSE and initially scored 686 out of 700 marks. Dissatisfied with her result, she applied for revaluation, after which her marks increased to 693.

Despite her improved score, the board refused to issue her a merit certificate, which is awarded to the top ten students and makes them eligible for scholarships. The board claimed that her school failed to submit the necessary documents on time.

The court rejected the board’s justification, stating: "The petitioner cannot be denied the merit certificate arbitrarily... Meritorious students do not deserve such treatment. Rather than rewarding her excellence, the board forced her to approach the court, which is not appreciated."

• Issue the merit certificate to Yashaswini.
• Grant her all benefits, including the scholarship entitled to top performers.
• Pay Rs. 25,000 as costs for the unnecessary litigation.