Delhi High Court Issues Notice to CBSE on Calculator Use in Board Exams

The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) regarding the use of calculators in Class 12 accountancy board examinations, widening a debate over accessibility and fairness in national testing standards.

Currently, calculator provisions are limited to students with dyscalculia, a specific learning disability affecting mathematical computation. The court's action follows petitions seeking to expand access to this accommodation beyond students with documented disabilities, raising questions about equity in examination procedures across Indian schools.

The High Court has also sought written submissions from the Ministry of Education, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), and PARAKH—the Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development framework—on the feasibility and implications of broadening calculator access during accountancy assessments.

The matter touches on broader concerns about standardized testing methodology and whether current restrictions adequately serve students' learning needs. The responses sought by the court are expected to inform judicial consideration of whether existing norms require modification to align with contemporary educational practices and inclusivity standards.