The Supreme Court has fixed for hearing on December 12, a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition filed seeking an interim injunction to stay the conduct of the 2024 GCE Advanced Level examination.

This order was issued when the relevant petition filed by an exam candidate was taken up before the three-judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising Chief Justice Murdu Fernando, Justices Jayantha Jayasuriya and Priyantha Fernando (25) today.

The FR petition was filed by AM Hansani Kaveesha, an examination candidate residing in Kegalle, naming as respondents the Commissioner General of Examinations, Minister of Education Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Secretary of the Ministry of Education and the Attorney General.

The petitioner claims that according to a circular issued by the Ministry of Education on November 29, 2023, it is stated that for the academic year 2024, 170 days of classes should be held in government schools, government approved private schools and Pirivenas.

She argued that however, the decision taken to sit the GCE Advanced Level exam before the completion of the 170-day study period is a grave injustice to the students sitting the exam.

The petition also points out that nearly 300,000 students who are sitting the exam for the first time this year are being grossly unfair.

Accordingly, the petitioner sought a ruling that his fundamental human rights had been violated by taking the GCE Advanced Level examination before the completion of the 170-day study period and an order invalidating the decision to sit the examination between 25 November and 20 December. .

In addition, the petition seeks a temporary injunction to stay the examination pending the hearing of this petition and the issuance of a final verdict.

However, appearing for the petitioner, counsel to the President Tirantha Walaliyadde sought to amend the petition and fix a date for confirmation of facts.

Accordingly, the court granted leave to file an amended application and ordered that the relevant application be called on December 12 for confirmation of facts.

The A/L 2024 exam started today at 8.30 am (25) in 2,312 centers across the country. This year, a total of 333,185 candidates are sitting the GCE Advanced Level exam.