The Kerala High Court has ordered the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to correct a clerical error affecting 38 Class 10 students. The students faced taking the wrong Sanskrit exam for the 2025-26 Secondary School Examination. The court intervened after the school, Chinmaya Vidyalaya in Kasaragod, mistakenly entered the wrong subject code.
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas directed the CBSE to immediately update records. This allows the 38 students to take the intended ‘Communicative Sanskrit’ exam. The court found forcing students to take an exam they did not choose would cause significant disadvantage. Students had already prepared for ‘Communicative Sanskrit’.
Error Details and Correction Attempts
Thirty-eight out of 114 Class 10 students at Chinmaya Vidyalaya had selected ‘Communicative Sanskrit’. The correct subject code for this is 119 . During student registration on the CBSE portal, the school entered code 122 . This code corresponds to ‘Standard Sanskrit’.
The mistake went unnoticed until January 12, 2026 . This was just weeks before the board exams. The CBSE’s standard correction window had already closed.
Following the discovery, the school requested a correction on January 12, 2026. Affected students also sent multiple appeals for urgent intervention. Further communications were sent on January 14, 23, 27, and 29, 2026. The CBSE rejected these requests. The board stated the deadline of October 27, 2025 , could not be reopened.
Court Intervention and Ruling
The CBSE proposed students could take Sanskrit under subject code 112. The board argued both subjects were similar. The court disagreed. It stated forcing students into an exam they did not prepare for would cause prejudice.
The court acknowledged administrative deadlines for exam logistics. However, it deemed this case extraordinary. Judicial intervention was necessary to prevent injustice. The court ordered CBSE officials to change the subject code from 112 to 119. This allows the 38 students to take ‘Communicative Sanskrit’.
The judgment specified this relief is not a precedent. It applies only to these exceptional circumstances. The court noted the immediate academic disadvantage students faced. The ruling also permits the CBSE to take action against the responsible school authorities. The board can also recover any costs incurred during the correction process.