Which High Court in India ruled that the system of negative marking in competitive examinations is bad in law and should be removed?

Introduction / Context:
This question addresses a contemporary legal decision related to education and examinations in India. Many competitive exams use negative marking to discourage random guessing. However, one High Court declared that such a system is bad in law and should be removed. Aspirants for civil services and other exams often encounter this fact in current affairs based general knowledge.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The subject is negative marking in competitive examinations.
- The legal body involved is an Indian High Court.
- The question asks which specific High Court gave this ruling.
- The options list prominent High Courts Madras, Bombay, Hyderabad, Delhi and Allahabad.

Concept / Approach:
The core concept is to link current affairs in education with the correct court. In two thousand nineteen, the Madras High Court delivered a judgment criticising negative marking. The court observed that negative marks act as a weight on the mental strength of students and can unfairly penalise intelligent candidates. Therefore, the correct answer must be Madras High Court. The other High Courts listed are important but are not associated with this particular decision.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall reading news items or notes about a High Court ruling against negative marking in competitive exams.Step 2: Remember that this ruling came from the Madras High Court, which said that negative marking was bad in law.Step 3: Recognise that the court highlighted the psychological effect of negative marks on students and questioned whether such a system was necessary for fair evaluation.Step 4: Compare this memory with the options given and select Madras High Court.Step 5: Rule out the other High Courts, as there is no widely reported case from them giving a similar landmark judgment on this issue.

Verification / Alternative check:
If you are unsure, think of regional patterns in such rulings. The Madras High Court has often been in the news for proactive judgments in education matters, including this one on negative marking. By contrast, when you recall typical landmark cases of other courts, Bombay and Delhi High Courts are associated more with commercial or constitutional matters, and Allahabad High Court with other high profile issues. This association further supports Madras as the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- Bombay High Court: It has passed several education related judgments, but the widely cited ruling against negative marking came from Madras, not Bombay.
- Hyderabad High Court: There is no major national level report of a similar decision from this court concerning negative marking.
- Delhi High Court: While very important, it has not been identified with this specific judgment on negative marking in popular exam material.
- Allahabad High Court: Also not the court that delivered the ruling described in the question.

Common Pitfalls:
Students who do not regularly follow current affairs may try to guess between Delhi and Bombay High Courts because these cities are widely known. This guesswork often leads to incorrect answers. The correct strategy is to tie the phrase negative marking bad in law to Madras High Court as a fixed memory, just as you would connect other famous phrases to specific courts or commissions.

Final Answer:
The High Court that ruled against negative marking in competitive examinations is the Madras High Court.