The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking permission for students appearing in the CBSE Class XII board examinations to use basic, non-programmable calculators in Accountancy and Mathematics.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma sought response of Union Government, CBSE, National Council of Educational Research and Training, and PARAKH (National Assessment Centre).

The counsel appearing for the CBSE said that the issue is under consideration and sought time to seek instructions.

The petition seeks extension of the existing calculator facility available to students with Dyscalculia to other categories of students with disabilities.

The petition contends that CBSE's continued prohibition on calculators is arbitrary and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India, particularly when its own Curriculum Committee had approved a proposal to permit basic calculators in Class XII Accountancy examinations in November 2024.

According to the plea, the proposal was placed before CBSE's Governing Body in December 2024, but has neither been notified nor implemented.

The petitioners argue that lengthy calculations consume a significant portion of examination time, leaving students with less time to demonstrate their conceptual understanding of subjects such as Accountancy and Mathematics.

They have also sought a direction to CBSE to constitute an expert committee to examine permitting calculators in Mathematics and to extend the existing calculator facility for students with disabilities beyond those diagnosed with Dyscalculia.

The plea states that a representation dated August 17, seeking implementation of the proposal and a reasoned response, has remained unanswered.