The Bombay high court has asked the state government to ensure availability of uninterrupted power supply across the state during the period of examinations commencing September 26. In a directive addressed to the Department of Secretary of School Education, the HC has asked the government to appoint a team of officials who will be responsible for making random visits to exam centres that are affected by load-shedding. They are further to verify, if these centres are getting uninterrupted power supply during the exam period.

A division bench of justices Abhay Oka and Girish Kulkarni clearly stated that these officials should make surprise visits to the 153 centres of the board to examine if the exam halls have been provided generators or invertors. The bench also directed the state government to come out with an action plan with reference to this issue for next year’s SSC/ HSC exams.

It stated: “From its last affidavit, we know what the government’s approach is. This is a human issue and we will not leave it at this. We want answers with regard to providing uninterrupted power to all exam centres in the future too.”

The directive was issued during the hearing of a bunch of petitions highlighting the non-implementation of a 2009 high court order directing the state to provide uninterrupted power supply to exam centres. One of the petitions, filed by Navi Mumbai social worker, alleged that many students had had to write exams in darkness.