All is not well in the ongoing Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examinations as several candidates appearing for the exams have alleged malpractice at exam centres. Karnataka Secondary Education Examinations Board (KSEEB) has received several calls in this regard, but officials say that they are unable to act for want of written complaints.
As per the information available with The New Indian Express, KSEEB is getting calls from parents, candidates and also from public about the alleged malpractice during exams, especially the exam centres located in Ramanagara district.
V Sumangala, director of KSEEB, said, “Yes, we are getting a series of complaints against centres located at Ramanagara district. But as there are no written complaints, we cannot initiate action against the officials.“As soon as I received complaints, I spoke to the deputy director of public instructions (DDPI) of that district. But the complainants have no photo or video proof of their complaint and the DDPI denied reports of any such instances. When we sent a team to investigate, no such instances were found," he said.
It is difficult for us to act without a written complaint,” said Sumangala. A candidate from a center near Manchanabele told The New Indian Express, “At my centre, the invigilators themselves are helping candidates to score more. As we are from other schools, it is difficult for us to question.”
“I am from a private school and my centre is at a government school. Though we have prepared well, there are people to help students from government schools. They were literally dictating the answers. We have called and complained to the helpline but no action has been initiated,” added another student. Students also said that CCTVs are not working at the exam centres. “At once centre in Manchanabele, the CCTV is not working at all. Power cut is the reason, they say,” explained another student.
Students feel that mass copying, helping students by orally dictating the answers, non-functioning of CCTVs, passing answer script of other students to those who do not perform well, are more dangerous than a question paper leak.The exams for this year will conclude on April 6.