The Attorney General (AG) has informed the Supreme Court that the Cabinet of Ministers recommends awarding free marks to all students for three questions allegedly leaked in the 2024 Grade 5 Scholarship Examination. Solicitor General Viraj Dayaratne, representing the AG, emphasized that re-conducting the examination could impose unnecessary stress on students. A motion was filed to have the petition heard by a full bench of Supreme Court judges, scheduled for December 11.
Today, the Supreme Court considered a Fundamental Rights petition aimed at preventing the release of the examination results and cut-off marks. Following allegations of a leak, the Department of Examinations initiated an investigation on September 20, revealing that only three questions were compromised. This sparked public outrage, with parents protesting and claiming the entire paper had been leaked.
In connection with the case, a 58-year-old Director of the Planning Division at the National Institute of Education and a 49-year-old teacher were arrested and remanded until October 22. The investigation led to a halt in the evaluation of answer sheets. Ultimately, on October 14, it was confirmed that the examination would not be re-administered, and free marks would be awarded for the leaked questions, although the Supreme Court later issued an interim order to withhold results.
