judgment - Tarkunde, J.

(1) These two petitions have been filed under Article 226 of the Constitution. They relate to a matter of vital importance connected with the maintenance of educational standards in secondary schools and the preservation of their internal autonomy. The question raised by the petitioners is whether the Maharashtra State of Board of Secondary Education can lawfully compel heads of secondary schools to forward the applications of candidates wishing to appear for the Secondary School Certificate Examination (S.S.C. Examination) irrespective of whether in the opinion of their teachers the candidates have made adequate academic progress during the final year.

(2) The petitioner in Special Civil application No. 131 of 1966 is the Principal and Proprietress of Hill Grange, High School Bombay. The second petition (Special Civil Application No. 132 of 1966) is a representative petition filed by the trustees of the Bharda New High School, Bombay, on behalf of the about 230 members of the Bombay Association of Heads of Secondary Schools, and also on behalf of other heads of Schools, in ""the Poona Division"". The Poona Division consists of Greater Bombay and the districts

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