Judgment

KULDIP SINGH, J.- Special leave granted.

2. Vineeta Mahajan, respondent in this appeal, appeared in Class XII examination conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education, Delhi, in the month of March, 1993. She sat for the Political Science paper on March 16, 1993 in the said examination. During the course of examination, the invigilator found the respondent in possession of written-material in the shape of three small pieces of paper kept in the pencil box. The matter was reported to the Central Superintendent. Proceedings in respect of the charge "for using unfair means at the examination" were initiated by the Result Committee of the Board. The respondent was examined by the said Committee on July 19, 1993. She admitted having kept the said papers in the pencil box but she stated that she had not used the same while answering the question paper. According to her she arrived at the examination hall late due to car puncture on the way and, as such, was utterly confused and panicky and in that mental state she forgot to take-out the papers from the pencil-box before entering the examination hall. The Deputy Superintendent of the Examination Centre stated before the Com