The high court on Tuesday directed the principal of Central School, Fort William, to appear before it on Wednesday and state why he wouldn’t allow a dyslexic student to appear for the CBSE Class XII exams starting this month.

The principal had allegedly debarred Payel Sarkar from appearing for the exams because of poor attendance though she cleared the qualifying tests.

Payel’s mother Alpana Das, who had moved the court, told the judge that even though the CBSE authorities had relaxed their rules on attendance for an “ill student”, the principal had refused to allow her to sit for the exams.

“In a note, the principal informed me that he would not allow Payel to sit for the exams because she had only 59 per cent attendance. Her actual attendance was 64 per cent,” stated the petition.

Alpana’s lawyer said his client hailed from Assam and worked in a bank but had shifted to Calcutta so that her daughter could be treated properly.

A lawyer representing the CBSE authorities said school heads could allow ill students to sit for exams even if their attendance was below 60 per cent. The school was not represented in court. Alpana’s lawyer said a notice had been sent to the principal.