MUMBAI, Jan 11: The state government's Bureau of Government Examinations has been granted autonomy with the enactment of the Maharashtra State Council of Examinations Bill during the winter Session of the state legislature in December 1998.The bureau, constituted in 1968 to review the structure, pattern, procedures and financial liabilities of government examinations, conducts about 28 government examinations (17 types) every year. Rechristened the Maharashtra State Council of Examinations, it also deals with policy matters and curriculum design, development, implementation and evaluation of examinations.However, autonomy will help raise academic standards, improve credibility in assessment and scale down financial liabilities of government examinations.The state government, which will still exert some control over the council, will retain its jurisdiction over matters like policy decisions and posting of officers. It has also created the post of commissioner along with nine additional posts, accordingto Minister of State for Education Anil Deshmukh. There are 139 posts at present.The government will also gradually reduce funding of the council, which will have to raise its own resources. Fees, royalties, charges, grants, assignments, contributions and loans received by the council from the government will be credited to the council's fund. Its income and expenditure for 1997-98 was Rs 2.29 crore and Rs 2.13 crore respectively.Expenditure incurred by the government on salaries and allowances of officers deputed to the council, to the extent of Rs 20 lakh a year, will be sourced from the government's Consolidated Fund. This will be reimbursed by the council. Some of the examinations conducted by the council include the Scholarship Examination for Stds IV and VII, which receives around five lakh applications, the Government Commercial Certificate Examination (3.5 lakh applicants), the Primary Teachers Examination (60,000 examinees) and the Diploma in Education examination (35,000).Director of thebureau, B A More, told Express Newsline: ``The best part of autonomy is that we can invite experts from different fields to be a part of the council and this will enhance the quality of the council's functioning.'' The body will include an Academic Council to provide expert opinion and Regional Councils to supervise examinations.The council will lay down guiding principles to prepare detailed syllabi for areas in which examinations are conducted; prescribe standard requirements in respect of staff, building, furniture, equipment, stationery and other things required to impart education and training in institutes where the course content is designated and prescribed; prescribe general conditions governing admission of candidates to various examinations; conduct examinations and award certificates; conduct statistical and other research for evaluation and reform of the curricula, instruction and the examination system, among other things.The Regional Councils will have jurisdiction over cases ofunfair means according to procedures laid down by the State Council; grant recognition to institutions under its jurisdiction and to withdraw the same if necessary.
