The Bombay High Court has granted permission to a 19-year-old boy to retake his Class XII improvement exam, which he missed last year due to depression and Internet Gaming Disorder.

A division bench comprising Justice A S Chandurkar and Justice Rajesh Patil issued this order on July 4, citing the boy's circumstances and the principles of justice.

The petitioner, who had consistently scored between 85-93% until Class XI, explained that his performance drastically declined to 316 marks out of 600 during his Class XII exams in March 2023, while he was undergoing treatment for depression and anxiety. He further disclosed receiving treatment at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Hospital, where he was diagnosed with Internet Gaming Disorder, preventing him from appearing for the subsequent re-examination in July 2023.

After being denied the opportunity to reappear in the March 2024 improvement exam by his college, the boy approached the High Court. His plea was supported by the upcoming July 16 re-examination date.

The bench, after perusing the medical reports of the boy, said he was undergoing treatment for Internet Gaming Disorder.

"The authenticity of the documents is not doubted. In the peculiar facts of the case, we find that an opportunity deserves to be granted to the petitioner to seek improvement in his marks since he was precluded from doing so earlier for medical reasons. In our view, the medical papers substantiate the petitioner's plea that he was unable to take the said examination earlier," the HC said.

"In the interest of justice, subject to the petitioner making the requisite application seeking permission to appear in July 2024 examination with the college, coupled with payment of necessary late fees, he shall be permitted to appear in the examination that is to commence from July 16," the High Court said.