| CITATION | 2021 SCC ONLINE SC 584 |
| DATE OF JUDGMENT | 03rd June 2021 |
| COURT | Supreme Court of India |
| APPELLANT | Jigya Yadav (Minor) (Through Guardian/Father Hari Singh) |
| RESPONDENT | C.B.S.E. (Central Board of Secondary Education). |
| BENCH | A.M. Khanwilkar, B.R. Gavai, Krishna Murari |
INTRODUCTION
The Supreme Court of India handled an important case involving Jigya Yadav, represented by her guardian Hari Singh, and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). The issue was about CBSE’s strict rules that made it hard to change personal information, like names and birth dates, on academic certificates. Jigya Yadav wanted her academic records updated to match her current official documents accurately. The Supreme Court decided that while CBSE needs to keep academic records reliable, people also have the right to correct their personal details. The Court ruled that CBSE must reasonably allow such changes to ensure the accuracy of personal information in official records. This decision ensures that administrative policies don’t stop individuals from having correct personal details in their documents.
FACTS OF THE CASE
Jigya Yadav, through her father, challenged CBSE’s decision not to update her name and personal details on her academic certificates. CBSE’s strict rules prevented these changes, even though other official documents like Aadhaar and passports allowed such updates. Jigya argued that these regulations were unfair and interfered with her right to have accurate and consistent personal records across all her documents. The case questioned whether CBSE’s policies violated her fundamental rights, emphasizing the need for consistency in personal information on all official records. This challenge aimed to ensure that people can maintain correct personal details in their academic documents.
ISSUES RAISED
- Were CBSE’s rules for changing personal details on school certificates reasonable and fair?
- Did these rules go against people’s rights, especially since other documents allowed similar changes?
CONTENTIONS OF APPELLANT
The petitioner argued that it is important to be able to update personal details on official documents to keep them accurate. They claimed that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had overly strict rules about making these updates, which seemed unfair compared to other government agencies. Most agencies allow people to update their personal information to ensure their records are current. The petitioner believed that CBSE’s rules were too rigid and did not match common practices that help keep records accurate. By not allowing updates, CBSE was seen as being unfair and not following the standard approach used by other agencies. The petitioner felt that CBSE’s restrictions were too harsh and should be changed to make sure they are reasonable and in line with what other agencies do.
CONTENTIONS OF RESPONDENT
The CBSE defended its rules by emphasizing the importance of keeping academic records accurate and trustworthy. They were worried that if students were allowed to change personal details without strict controls, it could lead to problems such as misuse or fraud. To prevent such issues, CBSE wanted to make sure that changes to personal details were closely monitored and only allowed under strict conditions. By maintaining these regulations, CBSE aimed to protect the reliability of academic records and ensure that the certificates issued were genuine and trustworthy. The Board’s goal was to keep the records as accurate and secure as possible, so that employers, colleges, and other institutions could trust the information on the certificates. In summary, CBSE’s main concern was to avoid any potential misuse or tampering, ensuring that academic records remained reliable and authentic.
JUDGEMENT
The Supreme Court decided in favor of the petitioner, ruling that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) must allow students to correct personal details on their certificates. The Court highlighted the importance of having accurate and current records to ensure that CBSE’s certificates remain credible and trustworthy. However, to make sure that these updates are handled properly and to prevent misuse, the Court said that there should be reasonable safeguards in place. This means that students will need to follow certain procedures, such as providing affidavits and indemnities, to prove that the changes are necessary and legitimate. The Court’s ruling was designed to balance the need for accurate records with the practicalities of making sure updates are handled carefully. By setting these conditions, CBSE can maintain the reliability of its records while still allowing students to correct any mistakes or update their information. This decision emphasizes the importance of protecting individual rights and ensuring that records are correct.
ANALYSIS
The judgment emphasized how important it is for official records to accurately show an individual’s personal information. It made clear that any rules limiting updates to these details should not be unfair and must respect people’s basic rights. The Court’s decision required the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to adjust its practices to be more in line with how other government agencies handle similar situations. This was done to ensure that the process is fair and consistent for everyone. The ruling stressed that administrative rules should not violate a person’s right to have correct and updated personal records. It highlighted the need for a reasonable and balanced approach when handling updates to personal details. The decision aimed to protect individual rights while also making sure that updates are managed in a sensible way. Overall, the judgment reinforced that fairness and accuracy in maintaining records are crucial.
CONCLUSION
The Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Jigya Yadav vs. CBSE was a major ruling that confirmed people’s right to correct personal details on their academic certificates. The Court decided that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) must allow these corrections, but also set out that there should be reasonable safeguards to prevent any misuse. This means that while students can update their information, there must be checks in place to ensure the changes are valid and not misused. The ruling highlighted the importance of keeping records accurate, fair, and respectful of people’s basic rights. It showed how important it is to protect individuals’ rights while also ensuring that the process of updating records is handled properly. This decision is an important reference for students who need to make similar changes to their records. It also illustrates the role of the judiciary in making sure that rules and regulations do not unfairly limit or deny individual rights.
REFERENCES
- Scc Online
- https://itatonline.org/digest/verdicts/jigya-yadavminorthrough-guardian-father-hari-singh-vs-cbse-orssupreme-court/
- https://privacylibrary.ccgnlud.org/case/jigya-yadav-minor-through-guardianfather-hari-singh-vs-cbse-ors#:~:text=
This Article is written by Shambhavi Bhardwaj student of Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Shimla(HPNLU); Intern at Legal Vidhiya.
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