While allowing a CBSE student to write the subject of Mathematics as an additional subject in the Senior School Certificate Examination 2025-2026, the Madras High Court has highlighted how education means admission to a medical seat or an engineering seat. The High Court also expressed its displeasure over the fact that parents make the children run the terrible rat race.

The High Court was considering a Petition whereby the petitioner sought the quashing of the impugned order of the Regional Director, CBSE (third respondent). The petitioner also sought permission for his daughter to appear and write the subject of Mathematics as an additional subject in the Senior School Certificate Examination 2025-2026.

The Single Bench of Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy stated, “It is stated that the petitioner has studied the subject of Mathematics with subject code – 041. Even if the same is taken into account, incorrect information is fed to the C.B.S.E. Education = Learning throughout the world. But, in this part of the world, education = admission to medical seat or engineerig seat. Parents make the children to run the terrible rat race. In the madness, all kinds of subject change, as the one done here by choosing subjects which they think lighter all happen. In high school, even mother tongue is sacrificed to take other easier subjects. These are all practiced by the parents thinking that if the child studies three subjects alone, she will come out with flying colours in the NEET examination, which ultimately was not to be in the present case and now, the child finds itself in the crossroads.”

Advocate A.Mohamed Ismail represented the Petitioner, while Central Government Standing Counsel D.Baskar represented the Respondent.

Factual Background

The petitioner’s daughter was admitted into class XI under the C.B.S.E stream in the Sri Chaitanya Techno School for the subjects containing English, Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Accordingly, the student studied Mathematics throughout her XI standard and sometimes through the XII standard also. Considering that she was going to write the NEET Examination and take up Medicine as her career, upon certain advice, instead of Mathematics, she was made to select Physical Education while submitting the details to the Central Board of Secondary Education. She was not successful in the NEET Examination. As per the petitioner, if the student had taken Mathematics as an additional subject, she could have got admission in any Engineering College. It was the petitioner’s case that the respondents had a scheme, as per bye-law 43, to study an additional subject, but when the petitioner prayed for the same, the same was rejected by the impugned order.

Reasoning

The Bench, at the outset, noted that the students of C.B.S.E are mandated to study five subjects, including English as one of the language subjects. Apart from the mandatory five subjects, the students of C.B.S.E can study one additional subject as the sixth subject, and certain facilities have been granted in respect thereof, to appear as a private candidate.

One of the objections raised was that Mathematics should have been studied as a subject in the XI standard as unless the candidates studied Mathematics in the XI standard, to permit her to write the XII standard Mathematics alone would not have been permissible. On a perusal of the facts of the case, the Bench noted the extremely precarious situation of the student and how the subject was changed in the last minute due to external pressure.

The Bench highlighted how education in this country is equivalent to admission to a medical seat or engineering seat, and how the children are made to run in a rat race.

The Bench further took note of the fact that the child studied Mathematics throughout the XI standard and upto some time, in the XII standard. “Therefore, ultimately, the law should lean in favour of correcting the other procedures towards truth and when the fact remains that the petitioner only studied Mathematics and not Physical Education in the XI standard, I am of the view that the relief should lean in favour of permitting the student to write the Mathematics as a subject, since an additional subject is permitted”, it held.

Thus, the Bench disposed of the petition by granting permission to the student to take up the supplementary examination for the Mathematics subject. The Bench concluded the matter by asking the father, along with the minor student, to appear before the CBSE Regional Director, along with the webcopy of the order and proof for the students studying the subject of Mathematics in the XI standard and also some period in the XII standard.

Cause Title: B.Shajimon v. Union of India (Neutral Citation: 2026:MHC:821)

Appearance

Petitioner: Advocate A.Mohamed Ismail

Respondent: Central Government Standing Counsel D.Baskar, Advocate T.Sri Krishna Bhagavat

Click here to read/download Order






Madras High CourtJustice D Bharatha Chakravarthy

Tulip Kanth

Assistant Editor

Tulip Kanth is an Assistant Editor at Verdictum having over 5 years of experience in the field of legal journalism and editing. She extensively covers judgments of the Supreme Court, High Courts as well as Tribunals. She has previously worked with a legal publishing website where she oversaw the work of other editors and has also created updates on notifications of different Government Ministries. She holds an English Honours Degree from SGTB Khalsa College, Delhi University and has completed her LLB course with specialisation in Corporate Law from Amity University.