Summary: On January 19, 2026, the Bombay High Court reversed the decision to close exam centers for several junior colleges in Maharashtra. This ruling followed a single cheating incident that led to the closure, which affected where students would take their exams.
In an important case, several schools, including Krushi va Gramin Vikas Pratishtan’s Raje Shahaji Kashinath Mahavidyalaya in Gangapur, had their exam centers closed by the Maharashtra State Board. This was due to a cheating incident during the English exam on February 11, 2025.
The problem started when one student was caught cheating during the exams. Even though it was just one student, the Maharashtra State Board decided to close the exam centers for these schools. Onkar Kalyan Rajdev and others argued that this decision was not fair, as there was no proof of widespread cheating or that the schools were involved.
"The petitioners assert that this was a solitary, stray incident by one candidate," the judgment noted.
Onkar Kalyan Rajdev and others challenged this decision using Article 226 of the Constitution. They argued that the closure was based on just one incident and not because of any overall failure. The petitioners pointed out that the board's decision was not fair and didn't follow the rules.
The court, led by Judges Smt. Vibha Kankanwadi and Hiten S. Venegavkar, listened to both sides. The petitioners' lawyer, Mr. Katneshwarkar, stressed that the punishment was too harsh and didn't follow the board's own rules.
On January 19, 2026, the Bombay High Court decided in favor of Onkar Kalyan Rajdev and others. The court found that the board's decision didn't have a good reason and didn't follow the rules. It also emphasized the need to keep exams honest while being fair to schools.
"The impugned orders suffer from absence of reasons and non-application of mind," stated the court.
While allowing the petitions, the court set conditions for the schools to prevent future incidents. These include promising to ensure fair exams and putting in place strict monitoring systems.
The court also instructed the board to follow proper procedures before making such big decisions in the future, to ensure fairness and openness.
This decision is a relief for students who were initially moved to a center 14 kilometers away, which was inconvenient. Getting back their original exam centers will make their exam process easier.
The judgment highlights the need to balance strict exam standards with not unfairly punishing schools for one-off incidents.
