TET 2022 Wrong Question Case: High Court Heated Over Expert Report! Big Turn in Next Hearing?
TET 2022 Wrong Question Case: The Calcutta High Court recently witnessed a highly intense session regarding the TET 2022 wrong question case. The atmosphere in Court No. 14, presided over by Justice Bibhas Pattanayak, became heated as arguments clashed between the Primary Education Board and the petitioners. The hearing, which lasted for nearly an hour and a half, centered around the contentious report submitted by the Expert Committee, with lawyers from both sides exchanging sharp arguments.
Heated Arguments in the Courtroom
Senior Advocate Saptangshu Basu, representing the petitioners, raised serious questions about the credibility of the Expert Committee’s report. His argument was clear and incisive: the committee had allegedly ignored facts stated as correct in the standard Secondary and Higher Secondary textbooks. He pointed out significant discrepancies between the textbooks and the expert report. The petitioners argued that since candidates answer based on these government-prescribed textbooks, the books should hold higher authority than the committee’s opinion.
Furthermore, it was highlighted that while the Expert Committee acknowledged “printing mistakes” in certain questions, the candidates were not awarded marks for these errors. The petitioners claimed that many candidates would have qualified had they received these due marks. Citing RTI replies from prestigious institutions like the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) and various academic journals, it was argued that some questions indeed had two correct answers, a fact the Board refused to accept. A reference to a similar judgment by the Odisha High Court was also made to support their stance.
The Board’s Defense
On the other hand, Advocate Subir Sanyal, representing the Primary Education Board, presented a strong defense. He asserted that the Board had strictly followed the court’s orders by forming the Expert Committee through Vice-Chancellors of universities. He argued that the decision taken by subject matter experts should be treated as final. Additionally, he emphasized that per Supreme Court guidelines, the names of the experts could not be revealed to protect their safety. The Board also contended that an Expert Committee’s report cannot be challenged based solely on information obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
Judge’s Observation and Next Hearing Date
Initially, Justice Bibhas Pattanayak questioned whether the court had the jurisdiction to adjudicate on technical or subject-specific correctness. However, when the petitioners assured the court that they would present evidence based on Supreme Court guidelines and standard textbooks, the Justice agreed to proceed. Specific questions regarding the circumference of a circle, plantation farming, and greenhouse gases were subjects of prolonged debate during the session.
Concluding the session, the Justice ordered that all cases related to the challenge of this report would be heard together on January 15th. On that day, the petitioners are expected to present detailed evidence and literature before the court. Consequently, the upcoming hearing holds immense significance for thousands of TET candidates waiting for a resolution.
