Odisha matriculation exam question papers continue to go viral

Images of some pages of english paper of the ongoing Matriculation examinations went viral on social media Monday.

But, the Board of Secondary Education (BSE) authorities denied the leakage and said the images circulated did not match with the original questions of the paper which was conducted during the day.

Amidst uproar over annual high school certification examination question papers going viral repearedly on social media, Opposition Congress demanded resignation of school and mass education minister for the alleged failure to maintain efficiency in holding the exam.

Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan criticised the state government over the chaos in the annual high school certificate examination.

"The state government has been playing with the future of lakhs of students," Pradhan said.

The images which went viral on the social media on Monday do not match with the original question paper and the same cannot be attributed as question paper leak, said BSE President Jahan Ara Begum.

She said some mischievous insiders (invigilators and center superintendents) are creating unnecessary panic among the examinees by flying such rumours with ulterior motives to blame the Board.

While there are very few takers of boards denial and reassurances, the examinees are a worried lot, expressing shock and disbelief over the repeat of such incidents year-after-year.

Similar situations were witnessed last year too during which the images of the question papers went viral on social media almost on every day of the fortnight-long matriculation examination-2018.

At least seven teachers have so far been arrested in this connection and as many as 11 teachers are placed under suspension after the first days examination that began last week.

The BSE had taken prompt action by identifying and putting the erring teachers under suspension and latter. On the basis FIRs filed by the Board authorities, the police have arrested the teachers, who were engaged as Center superintendents and invigilators.

"The repeated question leak incidents has exposed the incapacity and inefficiency of School and Mass education department as well as Board of Secondary Education authority. Therefore, the concerned mimister should resign," said OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik in a statement.

Odisha's school and mass education minister B N Patra, however, rejected the allegation and said that question papers might have gone viral after the examination. It has not affected the students, the minister said.

Stating that state government is promoting privatisation of education in the state, Patnaik said the students from general and financial backward class are deprived of affordable quality education.

"Repeated question leak has put enormous mental pressure on the students and this might adversely affect their career and their future," Patnaik said.