CBSE Class 12 economics re-exam; Students happy, say paper was easy

CBSE leak of the Class 10 maths and Class 12 economics question papers has affected lakhs of students across India

Harried over re-reading the syllabus and anxious whether they will match or improve their previous performance, about 600,000 class 12 CBSE students across the country appeared for their re-exam for economics paper on Wednesday. The exam, which was earlier cancelled by the CBSE after the question paper got leaked, was conducted at 4,000 centres across the country. The board had exempted the foreign students from appearing for the exam again, since in its investigation, it did not find the leak to have impacted their results. According to ET, CBSE Class 12 paper was easier than the previous one. "Students said the paper was much easier than the previous one," said Kalpana Diwedi, principal, St Joseph High School, Panvel. Some Twitter users slammed CBSE for a difficult paper, while many others asked if they were allowed to celebrate now.

An official from the Central Board of Secondary Education said that the board had taken some extra security measures for the conduct of the exam.

The leak of the Class 10 maths and Class 12 economics question papers has affected lakhs of students across India. Unsurprisingly, there was uproar among students and parents and Congress president Rahul Gandhi mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Twitter with a pun on the latter’s just launched book for examinees titled, Exam Warriors. There were also calls for removal of the CBSE Chairperson Anita Karwal and HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar, who sought suggestions from students at a hackathon to solve the paper leak.

Top 10 developments on CBSE Class 12 Economics paper re-exam; CBSE paper leak

1. CBSE issues guidelines to Class 12 Economics students: Students are hereby informed that certain social media networks and online news channel(s) are unnecessarily floating rumours that new Admit Cards will be issued by the Board for the exam. It is hereby clarified that CBSE has already issued press release dated 30.03.2018 also available on the CBSE official website cbse.nic.in conveying that: “The candidates will appear from the same allotted centres using the same admit card.” Students are advised to follow the instructions as displayed earlier as no change has been made in the arrangements already notified.

2. Some CBSE children tense over  tough Class 12 Economics re-exams, some relieved: Many students said they were a little worried, not on account of being ill-prepared but because of the possibility of a tougher question paper this time.

"It is very irritating to have to repeat the paper again. I am just as prepared for it as I was last time. But can't say if they set a tough question paper," said Srishti, a student of Tagore Senior Secondary School, Mayapuri.

"I am fully prepared and making sure to revise the question paper which came last time also. The only worry is that the question paper last time was very easy. I knew it all. It's not about just passing. I want to make sure that I better my previous performance," said Yatin of New Delhi Public School, Vikaspuri.

3. CBSE Class 12 Economics students fret over re-exam: A student from Tagore School, Manpreet, complained of having to accord time for this exam's revision, which he could have used to prepare for other competitive exams.

"One of my main worry is that I had done so well last time and the paper was easy. So there is some psychological pressure of course. And also, I could have spent this time on preparing for other entrance exams," he said.

4. CBI questions CBSE official: On the eve of Class 12 economics paper re-test, police questioned the CBSE official who was suspended for laxity in supervising an examination centre in outer Delhi's Bawana area, from where the paper was leaked. Investigators say at least two modules were involved in leaking the CBSE question papers - other than the Class 12 economics paper, the mathematics paper of Class 10 had also surfaced online before the scheduled examination. Police busted the second module in Una town in Himachal Pradesh earlier this month. A woman was among the six persons arrested in connection with leaking the CBSE question papers. In the Bawana module, three persons, including two teachers of a private school, were involved. The teachers - Rishabh and Rohit - had taken photographs of the economics paper and sent it Tauqeer, who gives private tuitions. Tauqeer circulated the paper among his students about an hour before the examination commenced, police said, adding, he had received the paper via WhatsApp from Rishabh and Rohit.

5. Delhi HC rejects plea to change date of CBSE Class 12 economics exam: The Delhi High Court last week dismissed a plea seeking to change the date of the re-examination of the Class 12 economics paper, which the CBSE has decided to conduct on April 25 after the paper was leaked. Apart from this, the court was hearing two different pleas related to the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 10 mathematics paper. While hearing one of the pleas by a group of students seeking re-test of Class 10 mathematics paper, the court asked the CBSE to submit the records relating to the board's decision not to conduct re-examination and listed the matter for April 20. The order came after the court was apprised by the CBSE's counsel that it has issued a notification that the Class 10 maths examination will not be re-conducted as it cannot afford to hold it again and make over 16 lakh students appear in it.

6. School teacher leaked CBSE papers to realise his dream of becoming principal: The Una-based teacher, Rakesh Kumar, allegedly involved in leaking CBSE Class 12 economics and Class 10 mathematics papers, harboured the ambition of becoming the principal of the school where he taught, and a relative had assured him she would get it done if he helped her get the papers, an official privy to the probe said.

The CBSE Class 10 mathematics question paper was leaked by Rakesh Kumar, an economics teacher at DAV Centenary School in Una in Himachal Pradesh, who was arrested last week along with two other employees of the school - Amit Sharma and Ashok Kumar - in connection with the economics paper leak. Police said there was no monetary transaction involved and Rakesh Kumar did it only to realise his dream.

Testing times

Leaks: Economics paper for Class XII was leaked  on March 23; exam was held  on March 26;  Class X  maths paper was leaked hours before the exam on March 28

Arrests: Two teachers of a private school and a coaching centre owner in Delhi; student, coaching centre coordinators, school teacher and a former office-bearer of ABVP in Jharkhand; a teacher, clerk and support staff of a public school in Una, Himachal Pradesh, and a woman in Punjab

What CBSE says: A high-powered committee headed by a former HRD secretary will suggest measures to make the process "secure and foolproof through the use of technology".

7. No CBSE Class 10 Maths re-test after scientific evaluation, CBSE told HC: The CBSE told the Delhi High Court that it decided not to hold re-examination of class 10 Maths test as a scientific evaluation of random answer sheets did not indicate any unusual pattern to believe that there was a widespread benefit of the alleged paper leak. The Central Board of Secondary Education made the submission in an affidavit in which it said it was not conducting the re-test for another reason -- class 10 is a gateway to class 11 and therefore "remains largely an internal segment of school education system".

8. CBSE to re-conduct postponed exams in Punjab on April 27: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will re-conduct Class 10th and 12th examinations on April 27. The examinations were cancelled earlier this month due to a Bharat bandh. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the board announced the new schedule for the exams that were originally scheduled for April 2. For Class Xth - French, Sanskrit and Urdu Course-B exams will be re-conducted while for Class XIIth Gujarati, Nepali, Kashmiri, Hindi- Elective and Core exams will be done.

9. No re-test for CBSE Class 10 students anywhere in India: The government on Tuesday said no re-examination of the Class 10 maths paper will be conducted anywhere in the country, bringing major relief to nearly two lakh CBSE Class 10 students in Delhi, NCR and Haryana. The decision was taken in the interest of Class 10 students who had already written their exams on March 28 but were told to sit again after it was learnt that the maths question paper had been leaked.

"Consequent to the preliminary evaluation of the impact of reportedly leaked CBSE Class 10 maths paper and keeping in mind the paramount interest of students, the CBSE has decided not to conduct re-examination even in Delhi, NCR (National Capital Region) and Haryana," said Human Resource Development Ministry Secretary Anil Swarup. Swarup had earlier announced that the Central Board of Secondary Examination (CBSE) may re-conduct the maths examination possibly in July for Delhi, its suburbs in NCR and Haryana. The decision has brought a major relief to over 16 lakh Class 10 students, including nearly two lakh from Delhi, NCR and Haryana.

10. What Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on CBSE Paper leak

Prime Minister Narendra Modi who conducted an interactive session, "Pariksha Par Charcha" with the "exam warriors" before the Board examinations, expressed his displeasure over the CBSE paper leak. He dialed the HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar to express unhappiness and demanded strict action against the perpetrators.