Mixed reactions to high court verdict in city

NAGPUR: Bombay high court\'s quashing the Maharashtra government\'s controversial \'best five\' in SSC has evoked mixed reactions from parents, children and school principals in city. Kenneth Mendonca, principal of CDS school, one of the three ICSE schools in the city, hailed the verdict saying \"justice done\".



\"The inequality that was proposed due to \'best five\' will be now removed and all students will be counted at par,\" he said. He was seconded by Modern School principal Neeru Kapai who said that the system had now become fair for all. \"The \'best five\' has inflated the results of SSC students, where even scoring subjects like physical education were taken into account,\" she says.



Others, like RS Mundle School principal Varsha Changde felt that students would be disappointed as \'best five\' had led to a surge in their percentages. \"What impact it will have on the children in future is hard to predict now. It is only after the admission process begins can we assess the impact,\" she added.



Director of South Point and Royal Gondwana schools Devendra Dasture said he believed the government should not play with minds of the children. \"Due to utterly wrong policies of government since last three years, the students are suffering. With today\'s verdict, all children will get equal chance,\" he said.



The students seemed predictably divided. Those belonging to state board schools felt this verdict was against them, while those from ICSE schools believed it had restored parity. \"For all of us who have performed badly in one subject, this verdict is a cause of worry as it pulls our percentage down,\" says Mount Carmel student Ruchita Shrivastava. Endorsing her, BRA Mundle\'s Rahul Bajaj says, \"This is a very wrong decision. The government should give equal opportunity for all the students. Without \'best of five\' formula, the weak students will suffer.\"



But Nagpur division SSC topper Siddhi Ozarkar felt HC made a right decision. \"Best five was unfair to those who gave equal importance to all subjects,\" she asserted. Snehal Verma, who studies in an ICSE school, said, \"Admission process has finally become fair for all. The SSC students had an unfair advantage with best five.\"



Assistant director of education Rajendra Godhne also hailed the HC verdict. \"Best 5 exaggerated the pass percentage by almost 10% this year. Considering that other boards have been counting the aggregate marks, SSC schools should not find it a huge setback,\" he added.
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