Patna High Court
Santosh KumarversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- DISPOSED
- Bench
- ALOK KUMAR SINHA
Holding
The Court did not grant mandamus but allowed the petitioners to file representation before the Examination Controller and directed a time‑bound, reasoned decision.
Summary
The petitioners, Santosh Kumar and Archana Kumari, filed a writ application seeking a mandamus directing the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) to consider their objection form filed through the official portal for the Secondary Teacher Eligibility Test (STET) 2025 and to issue a revised answer key. They indicated readiness to file a detailed representation before the Examination Controller of BSEB. The respondents – the State of Bihar and BSEB – raised no objection to the petitioners’ request. The Patna High Court, noting the limited nature of the prayer, disposed of the writ by granting the petitioners liberty to file their representation within one week and directing the Examination Controller to dispose of the matter within four weeks after hearing, with a reasoned order. No substantive mandamus was issued and the application was closed with procedural directions.
Issues considered
- Whether the Bihar School Examination Board is obligated to consider the objection form filed by the petitioners under the STET 2025.
- Whether a writ of mandamus is the appropriate remedy to compel the Board to entertain the objection and issue a revised answer key.
Subjects
- writ of mandamus
- education law
- examination board
- objection form
- STET
- procedural relief
- Patna High Court
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.2680 of 2026
======================================================
1. Santosh Kumar Son of Satnarayan Prasad, Resident of Village and P.O-
Kachnawan, P.S- Belaganj, District- Gaya, Bihar.
2. Archana Kumari, Daughter of Arun Ram, Resident of Mithapur B Area,
Moti Pan Gali, P.O- G.P.O., P.S- Jakanpur, District- Patna, Bihar.
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
1. The State of Bihar through Additional Chief Secretary, Department of
Education, Bihar, Patna.
2. Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Education, Bihar, Patna.
3. The Chairman, Bihar School Examination Board, Sinha Library Road,
Buddh Marg, Patna, Bihar- 800017.
4. The Secretary, Bihar School Examination Board, Sinha Library Road,
Buddh Marg, Patna, Bihar- 800017.
5. The Examination Controller, Bihar School Examination Board, Sinha
Library Road, Buddh Marg, Patna, Bihar- 800017.
... ... Respondent/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Mrityunjay Kumar, Advocate
Mr.Ravi Ranjan, Advocate
For the Respondent/s : Mr. P.K. Shahi, Sr. Advocate
Mr. Kumar Shanu, Advocate
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ALOK KUMAR SINHA
ORAL ORDER
2 19-02-2026 Heard learned counsel for the petitioners, learned
counsel appearing on behalf of the respondent-State and learned
counsel for the respondent-Bihar School Examination Board.
2. With consent of the parties, the present writ
application is being disposed of at this stage itself.
3. The petitioners in paragraph No.1 of the writ
application has prayed for grant of following relief :-
(a) For issuance of a writ of Mandamus or any
other appropriate writ/writs, order/orders, or
direction/directions to the Respondent Board to consider
Patna High Court CWJC No.2680 of 2026(2) dt.19-02-2026
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the submission of the Objection Form raised by the
Petitioners through the Official Portal in Secondary
Teacher Eligibility Test (STET)- 2025 conducted by Bihar
School Examination Board (BSEB).
(b) For a direction to Respondent Board to
consider the Objection and rectify the anomalies in the
evaluation process of the said test.
(c) For a direction to Respondent Board to
provide Revised Answer Key of the Petitioners after
considering his Objection Form.
(d) For further pass any other order/orders in
shape of consequential relief to the Petitioners may be
found to legally entitled to in the facts and circumstances
of the instant case.”
4. After advancing some argument, learned counsel for
the petitioners submits that for the aforesaid relief claimed in the
present writ application, the petitioners are prepared to file detail
representation before the Examination Controller, Bihar School
Examination Board (respondent No.5). He accordingly prays that
the petitioners would be satisfied if an appropriate direction could
be issued by this Court to Examination Controller, Bihar School
Examination Board (respondent No.5) to entertain their
applications and dispose of the same after giving an opportunity of
hearing to the petitioners, within a fixed time frame.
5. To the aforesaid submissions made by learned
counsel for the petitioners, learned counsel appearing on behalf of
the respondent-State and respondent-Bihar School Examination
Board do not have any objection.
6. Considering the limited nature of prayer being made
Patna High Court CWJC No.2680 of 2026(2) dt.19-02-2026
3/3
by learned counsel for the petitioners, this writ application stands
disposed of granting liberty to the petitioners to file representation
before the Examination Controller, Bihar School Examination
Board (respondent No.5) within one week from the date of passing
of this order and if such representation is filed by the petitioners
within stipulated time, the same shall be disposed of by the
Examination Controller, Bihar School Examination Board
(respondent No.5) within a maximum period of four weeks from
the date of filing of the representations after giving an opportunity
of hearing to the petitioner.
7. Needless to emphasize that the final order which shall
be passed by the Examination Controller, Bihar School
Examination Board (respondent No.5) should be reasoned and
speaking order.
8. With the aforesaid observation/direction and liberty
granted, the present writ application stands disposed of.
9. All pending I.A.s, if any, is deemed to have been
disposed of.
(Alok Kumar Sinha, J)
sanjeev/-
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