Failed Class 12 students in Bihar continue protests

Hundreds of Class 12 students in Bihar who have failed in their exams continued their protests here for the second consecutive day on Thursday demanding re-checking of their answer sheets, police said.

More than 8 lakh of over 12 lakh students who appeared for the Class 12 exams, conducted by the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB), this year failed. The results were declared on Tuesday.

Police resorted to baton-charge to disperse the protesting students here.

"Hundreds of students have protested for the second day and raised slogans against the Bihar Education Minister and BSEB Chairman for the poor results," a police official said.

On Wednesday, nine students were injured in the protests.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has assured that the failed students can apply online for re-evaluation or verification of their answer sheets and these results will be out within a month.

He also promised that the BSEB will hold compartmental exams soon.

Similar protests also took place across the state on Wednesday, a day after the results were announced.

"We want re-examination for all," a protesting student said.

This year, the pass percentage of students of Science, Arts and Commerce streams was 35.24 per cent as only 4,47,115 students have passed out of a total 12,40,168 students who appeared in the exams.

Last year, the total pass percentage was 62.19 per cent. In 2015, it stood at 87.45 per cent, 88.04 per cent in 2013 and 90.74 per cent in 2012.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) student wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) also supported the failed students and burnt effigies of the Chief Minister and state Education Minister Ashok Choudhary.

A senior BSEB official said drastic fall in pass percentage vindicated their strict efforts to conduct cheating-free examinations.

This year, CCTV cameras were installed at entrances of examination halls and videography was conducted throughout the duration of the exam.

Use of all communication gadgets, including mobile phones, inside the examination halls was prohibited.

Mass cheating in board exams has been rampant in Bihar for years.

--IANS

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