CBSE re-exam for Class 10 maths only in Delhi, Haryana; may be held in July

CBSE Class 12 economics exam will be on April 25; no leak of CBSE papers outside India, hence no re-exam will be held abroad

Amid protests over the leak of CBSE question papers, the government on Friday said the re-examination of Class 12 economics will be held on April 25, while the decision over the class 10 maths re-exam will be taken in the next 15 days.

Anil Swarup, Secretary School Education in Union Human Resources Development Ministry, said the CBSE Class 10 mathematics question paper was leaked only in Delhi and Haryana as there was no evidence that it was a pan-India affair. "The leak was restricted to Delhi and Haryana, if at all a re-exam will happen, it will happen only in these states in July. A decision will be taken on this in the next 15 days," Swarup told reporters. He said the Class 12 economics re-exam will be held on April 25.
 

Swarup said the decision to conduct fresh exams won't affect the date of publication of the results, which usually happens in May end. However, there will be no fresh test outside of India as the question papers are different for students appearing for CBSE examinations outside India.

Important CBSE announcements:

• No leak of CBSE papers outside India, hence no re-exam will be held abroad

• CBSE Class X Mathematics examination likely to be held in July

• Class XII Economics re-exam on April 25: Education Secretary

"This decision to hold Class 12 examination is in context, nature, and consequences of the examination of Class 12 examination. As I mentioned earlier, children have to go to the University to seek admission they have to appear in various examinations. Most importantly there is no time for a detailed inquiry where exactly the leak happened," said Anil Swarup.

"Our immediate concern of the children who have suffered and this decision is in that context. We will nail the person who did this," Anil Swarup added.

"For Class 10 Maths, the examination will take place if it is found that the leaks had been in Delhi and Haryana. The decision will be only for Delhi and Haryana for rest of the states no re-examination will happen," Anil Swarup said.

"This is not a perfect solution, in such a case there is no perfect solution possible. But we tried our best to limit the damage as much as possible. The information is limited and we are yet to ascertain what went wrong. Thus in such a situation, this decision was the best alternative we had," added Anil Swarup.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi Police interrogated over 30 people, including students and teachers of private coaching centers, in connection with the question paper leaks, who seized over a dozen mobile phones from them.

Ever since the papers were leaked, scores of students have taken to mass-protesting to express their dissatisfaction over the poor governance and the CBSE re-examination decision.

On Wednesday, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed after the CBSE registered two cases with the Crime Branch.

The papers of Class 12 Economics was held on March 26, and Class 10 Maths, held on March 28, were leaked on social media hours before the examination.

A first information report (FIR) earlier revealed that the Central Board of Secondary Education had received an e-mail on March 28 at 1.29 am with 12 images of the CBSE Class 10 mathematics paper, but the CBSE completely ignored the tip-off sent by a person yet to be identified, according to media reports. 

The CBSE leaked paper, which was even circulated on social media application WhatsApp was initially sold off for Rs 35,000, but the prices later dropped to Rs 5,000, according to media reports. It is alleged that 1,000 students in Delhi may have accessed the paper. 

The Delhi Police has written to Google to share details of the ID from which the CBSE chairperson was sent the e-mail about the paper being leaked, the police officials said.
 

Here are the top 10 developments in the CBSE paper leak saga, the announcement of CBSE re-examination dates, and the probe into the matter: 

1) Class 12 economics exam on 25 April, Class 10 maths likely in July: The re-examination of CBSE's Class 12 economics paper will be held on April 25, while the re-test for Class 10 mathematics is likely to be conducted in July, Education Secretary Anil Swarup said on Friday.

Why CBSE didn't cancel maths re-exam: Anil Swarup said that although the mail had come at 1:29 am on March 28, it was only seen at 8:55 am, therefore, stopping the exam that was scheduled to commence at 10 am was not feasible. 

"Putting the children at an inconvenience at some fellow's message who might be playing a trick...we could not have done that," Anil Swarup said, according to media reports. 

"The mail came at 1.29 am on March 28 (early Wednesday) but the mail was seen at 8.55 am by the CBSE chairman. The paper was sent for verification. Just because there was an alert, we couldn't have stopped the exam," said Anil Swarup.

He said a preliminary enquiry has revealed that the leak for Class 10 mathematics paper is restricted to Delhi and Haryana.There has been no leak outside India, hence no re-examination will be held outside the country.

2) Alternate set of papers could have checked leaks: Former CBSE chairman Ashok Ganguly on Friday lashed out at the board for "inept handling" of the CBSE paper leak issue, contending that the introduction of one set of question paper from this year did more harm than good both for the students as well as the board.

Delhi University professor J L Gupta, closely associated with the CBSE examination till recently, was also critical of the functioning of the board, observing that "alternate set of question papers" could have saved the board from the present crisis.

"When you are handling an examination of this magnitude, you should have a Plan B and Plan C ready. The leakages and the delay in announcing the dates of the re-examination of two papers show there was no such plans in place," Ganguly, who headed the board for eight years till 2008, told PTI.

3) Class 12 student wrote to Modi about CBSE paper leak: Apart from the e-mail sent to the CBSE chairperson, Class 12 student Jhanvi Behal from Ludhiana said that she had also written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 17, informing her about the leak, but no action was taken, according to news agency ANI.

"Along with a few other students and a teacher, we started to trace the trail of the leak and got in touch with people who were leaking papers through WhatsApp. We reported this to police but no action was taken," said Jhanvi Behal. 

Jhanvi Behal's letter to Narendra Modi

4) Govt sheltering 'exam mafia', says Congress: The Congress on Friday accused the government of sheltering the "exam mafia" that it said has taken over the examination system in the country and asked Narendra Modi that why has he not apologised for the CBSE paper leaks yet.

Congress spokesperson Kapil Sibal said it is the first time in the country's history that a question paper has been leaked in this manner and asked if the prime minister was "not concerned" about lakhs of students being forced to take the exams again.

"When the government cannot keep the question papers safe, how will it secure the country...The manner in which the question paper has been leaked, no one has taken responsibility for it. This is a very serious issue," he said.

5) Class 10 students celebrate in Mumbai: CBSE class 10 students celebrate in Mumbai after Education secretary Anil Swarup said 'if it at all class 10th re-exam will happen, it will happen only in Delhi & Haryana.



6) All India Parents Association to move HC: Amid a widespread outrage over the CBSE question paper leaks, the All India Parents Association said on Friday that it would file a petition in the Delhi High Court on Monday seeking a court-monitored probe into the matter.

"The leaks have rocked the confidence of parents and students. Question is now being raised over the examination system being followed," president of the association and lawyer Ashok Agarwal said.

7) Javadekar's 'challenge' to students: Facing flak over the CBSE paper leaks issue, Prakash Javadekar on Friday turned to students for finding a solution to this "challenge".

"I am facing one problem in the country. It is a problem of paper leak. So, how to solve it is also a challenge. And I am throwing this challenge to students. Some people can also work after Hackathon and give us suggestions, Javadekar said, while addressing students at an event marked to launch the finale of the Smart India Hackathon 2018 (Software Edition).

After the CBSE's announcement of re-examination, the Congress had sought Javadekar's resignation and a probe by a high court judge.

Javadekar has termed the CBSE examination paper leak issue as unfortunate and said the culprits would not go scot-free.

Section 144 outside Javadekar's house: In light of the ongoing protests against the leak of Class 10 and 12 question papers, Section 144, which prohibits the gathering of a group of people with the mutual intent of deliberate disturbance of the peace, has been imposed outside Prakash Javadekar's Kushak Road residence in Delhi.

8) Delhi Police writes to Google: The Delhi Police has written to Google to share details of the ID from which the CBSE chairperson was sent the e-mail about the paper being leaked, the police officials said.

The Delhi Police had registered separate cases on March 27 and March 28, respectively, to probe the leak of the Class 12 economics paper and Class 10 mathematics paper, following a complaint by the regional director of the CBSE.

The cases were registered on charges of criminal breach of trust, cheating and criminal conspiracy.

In the complaint pertaining to the mathematics paper, the board has said that a day before the exam, an e-mail was received on the CBSE chairperson's official ID informing about the leak, the officials said. In the mail, the sender had stated that the mathematics paper was leaked on WhatsApp and that it should be cancelled, they said. The mail also contained attachments of the handwritten mathematics paper leaked on WhatsApp, according to the complaint.

Need help with CBSE exams? Read this: Answers to six key questions related to CBSE exams you might not know 

"The papers (economics and mathematics) were shared on over 10 WhatsApp groups, comprising 50-60 members. These groups have been identified. Four numbers that the CBSE mentioned in their complaints were used to circulate the Class 12 economics paper. The numbers were of tutors," an official privy to the probe said.

The police have questioned 45 people since yesterday, including the administrators of the 10 WhatsApp groups, a coaching centre's owner, 18 students and some tutors, in connection with the CBSE paper leak case, he said.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising two deputy commissioners of police, four assistant commissioners of police and five inspectors has been set up to investigate the matter. The team is being supervised by the joint commissioner of police (crime).

9) Raj Thackeray asks students to boycott CBSE re-exam: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Friday asked students and parents to boycott re-examination for CBSE exam papers that got leaked.

"The government, by announcing the re-examination, is giving tension to students. This (the leak) was a mistake of the government and it should pay for the same, not the students," Thackeray said, according to news agency PTI.

"I request parents not to let students appear for the re-exam. If parents bend today, the next government will also indulge in the same thing," he said.

10) Rahul Gandhi taunts PM Modi over 'Exam Warriors': The political fight over the CBSE paper leaks continued with Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday taunting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asking him if he was now penning a book for students on how to de-stress after their lives were "destroyed" following the CBSE question paper leaks. Gandhi said Modi "wrote Exam Warriors, a book to teach students stress relief during exams. "Next up: 'Exam Warriors 2', a book to teach students and parents stress relief, once their lives are destroyed due to leaked exam papers."  

Ahead of the exam season, PM Modi had come out with a book "Exam Warriors" released in February that advised students on how to tackle with exam stress. 

11) Six students from Jharkhand detained over CBSE paper leak: With an investigation in the CBSE paper leak continuing, six students were detained by police in Jharkhand on Friday for questioning over their alleged involvement in the case. The students concerned were held near Chatra's Sadar Police Station area.  

Click here to read our full coverage of how the news of CBSE paper leak broke and the early developments in the case: CBSE paper leak: Students protest in Delhi, want re-exam for all subjects

A Congress worker holds placard and raise slogans against the alleged paper leak outside CBSE Headquarters in New Delhi on Friday

12. Students and Congress workers protest outside CBSE HQ: Students affected by the CBSE re-examination decision and Congress activists on Friday protested outside the CBSE headquarters in New Delhi over the leakage of Class 10 and Class 12 question papers. Some protesters who tried climbing over the police barricades outside the office in Preet Vihar were rebuffed. They said that "students are suffering due to CBSE's mistakes". 

The affected students and their parents say that the CBSE paper leaks have hit them hard. Many who had been looking forward to holidays would now have to cancel their plans until the re-tests are held. 

Click here to read out full coverage on CBSE reexamination dates and the police investigation in the case: CBSE leak: Maths, Economics re-exam dates soon, says govt, Board Chief 

13. Rajinder Nagar coaching centre tutor interrogated: Have the culprits behind the CBSE paper leak been caught? The Delhi Police on Thursday said that it has taken a teacher of a private coaching centre into their custody. The private tutor of the coaching centre, located in Rajinder Nagar, is being interrogated, said RP Upadhyay, special Commissioner of Police, Delhi. 

In its complaint, the CBSE has named the teacher as one of the accused in the leak of Class 12 economics and Class 10 mathematics papers. 

The Delhi Police crime branch further said that they are trying to trace the trail of the paper leaks. "We are trying to trace the trail of the paper leak. One private tutor was named by CBSE in their complaint, he is being interrogated," Upadhyay added.

With agency inputs