The court mandates CBSE to regularize the student's admission, emphasizing that procedural errors should not hinder a student's academic future.
In a significant ruling, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to accept the direct admission of a Class XII student from Lawrence International School, allowing her to appear for the upcoming board examinations. The court's decision highlights that the student's academic future should not be jeopardized due to administrative oversights by the school.
The case, titled "Lawrence International School v. Union of India," involved a petition filed under Articles 226/227 of the Indian Constitution. The petitioners sought the court's intervention to regularize the admission of a student who was transferred to Lawrence International School due to her father's employment relocation. The school failed to obtain the necessary post facto approval from CBSE within the stipulated time frame, a procedural lapse that could have prevented the student from sitting for her board exams.
Presiding over the matter, Justice Kuldeep Tiwari emphasized that the balance of equity favored the student. He issued a mandamus directing CBSE to register and enroll her as a bona fide candidate of the school, include her name in the List of Candidates (LOC), and allow her to participate in the examinations scheduled to begin on February 18, 2026.
The court acknowledged the objection from CBSE's representatives regarding the school's failure to adhere to the deadline for submitting the approval form, which had already been rejected in December 2025. However, the judge deemed these objections as procedural and clerical, asserting that such issues should not affect the student's career prospects.
In addition to facilitating the student's exam participation, the court granted CBSE the liberty to impose exemplary costs on Lawrence International School for its failure to comply with the requisite procedures in a timely manner. This measure serves as a warning to educational institutions to adhere to administrative protocols to avoid similar situations in the future.
The judgment underscores the judiciary's role in safeguarding students' educational rights, ensuring that bureaucratic inefficiencies do not impede their academic progress.
Statutory provision(s): Articles 226/227 of the Constitution of India
Lawrence International School v. Union of India, (Punjab And Haryana) : Law Finder Doc Id # 2835370
