© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Assam SEBA HSLC paper leak row: In the past month, the Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA) has been in the news for paper leaks of Class 10 or HSLC exams. The two teachers identified as masterminds of the board exam question paper leak will be brought to Guwahati from Lakhimpur on Sunday for further inquiry by the CID.
While the authorities investigate the paper leaks, here is a look at what has happened so far:
The General Science exam for Class 10 was cancelled by the board after it was revealed that the question papers were sold for up to Rs 3,000 on WhatsApp. According to the investigators, the question papers were circulated to students on social media platforms.
“The investigation has revealed that the question paper of the General Science examination was sold for anything between Rs 100 and Rs 3,000. We have found that somewhere it was sold for Rs 100, somewhere for Rs 200-300, and it went up to Rs 3,000. Assistance is being sought from WhatsApp to identify the origin of the leak,” Director General of Police (DGP) Gyanendra Pratap Singh told PTI.
Due to the paper leak the night before, SEBA had to cancel the board exam. Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma labelled this as a mistake and said in an Assembly session that “the matric paper leak should not have happened. It reflects our failure. I accept it”.
A few days after the General Science exam was leaked, the Assam board had to cancel yet another exam due to the same reason. This time, it was the Assamese paper (Modern Indian Language).
“It has been brought to my notice that the arrested accused centre in-charge of Luhit Khabalu HS School has, during interrogation, confessed of leaking Assamese paper as well. In view of this, I have advised SEBA to reschedule Assamese exam also,” Sarma had tweeted.
Later in the day, it was announced by the Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu that the board exam for Class 10 Modern Indian Language (MIL) subjects will now be conducted on April 1.
“This is to notify to all concerned that in view of the ongoing police investigation regarding the leakage of the question paper of the HSLC Examination 2023, and in order to avoid holding of examination of MIL subjects in a compromised situation, the Board of Secondary Education, Assam has decided to reschedule the Examination of MIL/English (IL) subjects earlier scheduled to be held on 18th March 2023,” the official notice stated.
A senior police officer has told PTI that the authorities have identified two teachers as masterminds in the Assam state board Class 10 exam question paper leak and they have been arrested. “The two main accused, Pranab Dutta and Kumud Rajkhowa, have been arrested. They are currently in Lakhimpur, where they were apprehended,” Assam Police spokesperson Prasanta Kumar Bhuyan told PTI. “As informed by CID, the total arrests now are at 31.”
The suspects are now being brought to Guwahati from Lakhimpur, along with a juvenile accused and another teacher.
Meanwhile, DGP Singh told the media on Friday that CID has been able to establish the chain of events related to the paper leak. “We have enough physical evidence with us in the case,” he said.
