SC directs Exams Commissioner to appear in Court

Wasantha RAMANAYAKE

The Supreme Court yesterday directed the Examinations Commissioner Anura Edirisinghe to personally appear before the Supreme Court on Thursday to explain the circumstances that led to revise Z-score of a student of Horana Thakshila Vidyalaya.

Senior State Counsel Mahen Gopallawa undertook to communicate the direction of the Court to the Examinations Commissioner. The Bench comprised Justice Nimal Gamini Amaratunga, Justice P.A. Rathnayake and Justice Ms.Chandra Ekanayake.

The Court made the order after hearing the submissions by Counsel Saliya Pieris for petitioner Madhushi Kurukulasuriya of Horana Thakshila Vidyalaya.

The Counsel submitted that the petitioner had obtained Z-score of 1.8874 at 2008 A/L examination on the biology stream which was her second attempt. According to the cut-off marks she was eligible for the entrance to follow a course in medicine from the Kalutara district. The counsel submitted that to her utter surprise she had received revised Z-score of 1.8847 last month further stating that she had been eligible to follow a course in molecular biology, even after the release of cut-off marks.

The counsel submitted that she had a legal expectation to follow the course in medicine and further she could not apply for her third attempt in August since she received the revised Z-score only last month.

The Counsel submitted that the revised Z-score was unfair, and there was no basis for the revision and it was in violation of her rights.

She sought to follow the medicine course and compensation in a sum of Rs.500,000. Saliya Pieris appeared for the petitioner.