CBSE's re-exams for Class 10, Class 12 papers are a nightmare for students
HRD minister has declared he will not allow “any injustice to students”, thought it may be rather late in the day for that.
In a highly unusual move that will affect around 28 lakh students, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced it will conduct the Class 10 mathematics and the Class 12 Economics examinations a second time, amid reports of question paper leaks. The dates of the new exams have not been declared.
The board’s circular is rather cryptic, as it does not mention “paper leak” anywhere. “The Board has taken cognisance of certain happenings in the conduct of certain examinations, as is being reported. With a view to upholding the sanctity of the Board examinations and in the interest of the fairness to the students, the Board has decided to re-conduct the examinations in the subjects,” the statement reads.
Modi Govt should be renamed as #PaperLeakSarkar Our Statement on #CBSE papers leak:- pic.twitter.com/vgxdzPaVe7
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) March 28, 2018
While the re-test has caused unnecessary and unfair stress, it has raised worrying questions over the efficiency of the CBSE. According to reports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has conveyed his unhappiness over the paper leak issue to HRD minister Prakash Javadekar, and asked him to take strict action against the culprits.
Javadekar has declared that he will not allow “any injustice to students”, though it may be rather late in the day for that.
It is shocking enough that question papers of both Class 10 and Class 12 were leaked. However, the board’s acknowledgement of “certain happenings” comes barely 10 days after it had resolutely denied such malpractice occurred during the Class 12 accountancy exam.
After Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia flagged the accountancy paper being “leaked” on WhatsApp and reports emerged that the paper doing the rounds was indeed similar to the one given to the examinees, the board had stated that seals of question papers were found intact at all exam centres.
“During the process of examination, however, at the local level, some miscreants have tried to play mischief by circulating messages through WhatsApp and other social media to disturb the sanctity of examinations,” it had claimed.
From this to cancelling exams across the country is a huge leap. The CBSE owes an explanation as to what caused it to take the drastic step.
In the midst of this, some teachers and parents are planning to move the Delhi High Court and seek a re-exam, claiming that the Class 10 social studies and Class 12 biology question papers were leaked too.
Some students have decided to stage a protest and demand that the re-examination decision be cancelled.
My son Aujaswi studied really hard for #CBSE Class X Board Math Exams held todayHis joy of finishing Board Exams was short lived.He is extremely dejected as the Math paper got leaked& this #LeakingGovt will hold the Exam againI feel sorry for him as lakhs of other students!
— Ajay Maken (@ajaymaken) March 28, 2018
You know the government’s priorities when a press meet by the Education Minister begins with a focus on communal tensions in West Bengal instead of URGENTLY addressing the issue of the CBSE paper leak.
— Nidhi Razdan (@Nidhi) March 28, 2018
This is far too murky for an exam that affects the future of lakhs of students.
With exam results tied to admissions in colleges and even some high schools, and considering the insane amount of importance attached to board scores, having to appear again for exams is a test of nerves for children. Moreover, reports of question paper leaks are demoralising and discouraging.
For Class 12 students, the rescheduling means the exam dates will come too close to their college entrance tests. The JEE Main, for which lakhs of students sit, starts from April 8. Also, those wishing to study aborad will be adversely impacted.
A lot of Class 10 students had found the mathematics paper easy and had hopes of scoring well. A re-exam in this case seems especially unfair. As Ananya Sanyal, a student from Noida, said: "This question paper was not too difficult, I knew answers to most of the questions. It is very unfair that we will have to sit for a re-exam due to no fault of ours. Also, we don't yet know when the exam will now be held. My holiday plans have been thrown out of gear."
For boarding school students, the re-exam might mean the schools will have to be reopened specially for a day.
@PrakashJavdekar @PMOIndia Kids with special abilities take almost 6-8 months of intense work to appear for a 3 hour paper. Emotionally, they just CANNOT take a retest. You have no clue, how tough it is for them. Be sensitive.
— Manish Purohit (@manishpurohit) March 28, 2018
With the high number of student suicides reported around board exams each year and the distress calls the CBSE’s helpline receives during this time, it is the board’s responsibility to minimise pressure and inconvenience for students. However, not only did the board fail to put in place a foolproof system, it did not act in time when reports of leaks first surfaced.
This is not the only exam conducted by the central government that has seen such allegations this year. The CBI had to get involved after aspirants of Staff Selection Commission (SSC) staged protests over exam papers being leaked in the second week of March.
The Opposition has slammed the government, with Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala saying the Modi government should be renamed “Paper Leak Sarkaar”.
In the age of data leaks and privacy concerns being raised over the government’s push for Aadhaar, it is worrisome that it cannot be trusted to conduct exams efficiently.
How then are citizens expected to trust it with their biometric data and other vital information?