- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3487 WP No. 34767 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 21ST DAY OF JANUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ASHOK S.KINAGI WRIT PETITION NO. 34767 OF 2025 (EDN-RES) BETWEEN: SRI. PRANEETH VANAGONDI NAGARAJU (PRANEETH. V. N.) S/O. NAGARAJU. V, AGED ABOUT 19 YEARS, R/A. NO.33, KAUSTUBHA, 4TH CROSS, 3RD MAIN, HAL POST, LB SHASTRY NAGAR, VIMANAPURA, BENGALURU - 560 017. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. SIDDARAMAIAH V B., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE UNION OF INDIA REP. BY ITS SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY) SHASTRI BHAWAN, DR. RAJENDRA PRASAD ROAD, CENTRAL SECRETARIAT, NEW DELHI – 110001 2. CENTRAL BOARD OF SECONDARY EDUCATION (CBSE), SHIKSHA KENDRA, 2, COMMUNITY CENTRE, PREET VIHAR, Digitally signed by KIRAN KUMAR R Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3487 WP No. 34767 of 2025 DELHI 110 092. REP. BY ITS CHAIRMAN 3. THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER CENTRAL BOARD OF SECONDARY EDUCATION (CBSE), CBSE INTEGRATED OFFICE COMPLEX, SECTOR-23, PHASE 1, DWARAKA, NEW DELHI-110077. 4. THE REGIONAL OFFICER, CENTRAL BOARD OF SECONDARY EDUCATION CBSE REGIONAL OFFICE GNANA BHARATHI MAIN ROAD OPP. NATIONAL LAW SCHOOL OF INDIA UNIVERSITY CHANDRA LAYOUT EXTENSION II STAGE, BENGALURU - 560 072. 5. THE PRINCIPAL OF CHAITANAYA TECHNO SCHOOL, NO.121/4, VEMANA ROAD, 5TH MAIN, 7TH CROSS, MALLESH PALLYA, BENGALURU - 560 075. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. POOJAPPA J., CGC FOR R1 SRI. M.R. SHAILENDRA, ADVOCATE FOR R2, R3, R4 SRI. KIRAN KUMAR, ADVOCATE FOR R5) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO DIRECT THE RESPONDENT NO.4, THE REGIONAL OFFICER, CENTRAL BOARD OF SECONDARY EDUCATION CBSE REGIONAL OFFICE, GNANA BHARATHI MAIN ROAD, OPP. NATIONAL LAW SCHOOL OF INDIA UNIVERSITY, CHANDRA LAYOUT EXTENSION II STAGE, BENGALURU (CBSE) TO ACCEPT THE PETITIONERS EXAMINATION FEE FOR CLASS-12 MATHEMATICS (CODE 041) FOR THE FEBRUARY-2026 EXAMINATION, EITHER THROUGH MANUAL/OFFLINE MODE OR BY REOPENING THE ONLINE PORTAL FOR THE PETITIONER (ANNEXURE-H). - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3487 WP No. 34767 of 2025 THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN ‘B’ GROUP, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ASHOK S.KINAGI ORAL ORDER 1. The petitioner has filed this writ petition seeking for a mandamus directing respondent No.4 to accept the petitioner's examination fee for Class-XII Mathematics (Code No.041) for the examination scheduled to commence from 17.02.2026, either through manual or offline mode by reopening the online portal for the petitioner, vide Annexure ‘H’. 2. Brief facts leading rise to the filing of this writ petition are as follows: 3. The petitioner has appeared for “Mathematics Standard” subject in the examination conducted by CBSE (Board) for Class-XII through Sri.Chaitanya Techno School, Kaggadasapura, Bengaluru on 08.03.2025. Since the petitioner has failed in the - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3487 WP No. 34767 of 2025 said subject, he appeared for the supplementary examination conducted by CBSE (Board) for Class- XII. The petitioner was preparing for the annual examination schedule to be held in the month of February, 2026. 4. The Central Board of Secondary Education has issued a notice to all the schools affiliated to the Board to pay the fee for the annual examination of regulars and repeaters (private candidates) to be commenced from 17.02.2016. The last date fixed for the payment of examination fee was on 11.10.2025. The petitioner did not get the information from the School and he was not able to notice the same, since he was not attending the classes through Sri.Chaitanya Techno School. 5. Subsequently, the father of the petitioner has sent an e-mail to the CBSE, Bangalore Regional Office for permission to pay the late fees. In response to the - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3487 WP No. 34767 of 2025 said email, the Bangalore Regional Office has sent a reply to him stating that the last date for payment of examination fee online has expired and offline mode application was also not acceptable. Hence, it declined to accept the examination fee from the petitioner. Hence, this writ petition. 6. Respondent Nos.1 and 2 have filed a statement of objections contending that the petitioner did not pay the examination fee within time. Hence, respondent Nos.2, 3 and 4 have rightly declined to accept the examination fee. Hence, prays to dismiss the writ petition. 7. Heard the learned counsel for the parties and perused the records. 8. It is an undisputed fact that the petitioner appeared for the “Mathematics Standard” subject in the examination conducted by CBSE (Board) for Class- XII in the month of March, 2025. As the petitioner - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3487 WP No. 34767 of 2025 failed in the said subject, he thereafter appeared for the supplementary examination conducted in the month of July, 2025. Even there, he could not pass through the said subject. 9. The respondents-Central Board of Secondary Education issued a notice to all the schools to pay the fee for the annual examination for the Board Education for regulars and repeaters (private candidates) to be commenced from February, 2026 and the last date fixed was on 11.10.2025. As the petitioner had no knowledge about the notice issued by the CBSE and as the College also did not display the said notice in the notice board, the petitioner was unable to pay the examination fee within time. 10. If the petitioner is permitted to pay the examination fee, no injustice would be caused to the respondents. On the contrary, if the petitioner is not permitted to appear for the ensuing examination, then the - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:3487 WP No. 34767 of 2025 petitioner would be losing one precious year. Hence, under the facts and circumstances of the case, I proceed to pass the following order: ORDER (I) The writ petition is disposed of with a direction to respondent Nos.2 to 4 to accept the petitioner's examination fee for Class-XII “Mathematics Standard” Subject (Code No.041) commencing from 17.02.2026 within one week from today. Sd/- (ASHOK S.KINAGI) JUDGE RK CT:KHV List No.: 1 Sl No.: 34