So far, 42 teachers from various institutions in Andhra Pradesh have been detained and suspended for cheating in the ongoing annual exams of Class X students, on Monday, May 2.
The teachers' unions remained deafeningly silent while authorities viewed the misbehaviour as deliberate acts of mischief by some teachers to cast a negative image of the government, as per the PTI report.
After two years, the Class X public examinations were being held from April 27 for the first time as due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the examinations during the previous two years were not conducted.
Authorities of the Education department detected the malpractices on day one of the examinations when the Telugu question paper was snapped and circulated on Whatsapp from Kurnool district, an hour and a half after the examination began.
In Satya Sai, Kurnool and other districts, the same issue happened on the second day (Hindi exam) and third day (English exam).
“In all these cases we immediately detected the hand of some teachers who, with the help of some outsiders, spread rumours about ‘leak' of the question papers. This was nothing but gross mischief as there was no leak of the question paper but unnecessary apprehensions were sought to be created among students and parents,” a senior Education Department official said.
Under the AP Public examinations (Prevention of Malpractices and Unfair Means) Act, 1997, the local district collectors and police cracked down on the mischief-makers and arrested them.
The official has pointed out that this was the first time the teachers were arrested under the provisions of the law although it was enacted 25 years ago.
“We have so far arrested 42 teachers and placed them under suspension in different districts,” the official said.
The official also mentioned that stringent action has been initiated for the first time against the offending teachers.
Proceedings to all District Educational Officers were issued by the School Education Commissioner S Suresh Kumar pointing out that certain incidents like the unauthorised presence of teachers who are not on examination duty in the examination centres, invigilators and other persons who are appointed for the exam duty, carrying mobile phones and capturing photographs of the question paper and circulating it to others, have come to light.
He stated that the arrangement of students and other outsiders for work such as the supply of water, attempts towards leakage of question papers by vested interests which are operating individually/collectively by unfair means, were noticed.
“Teaching is a noble profession and the teachers are expected to be role models in the society. Such shameful acts by certain teachers are bringing disrepute not only to the teaching community but also to the (education) department and the whole state. This will also adversely affect the morale of students who have studied hard despite all adversities,” Suresh Kumar observed.
In order to ensure the examinations were conducted in a hassle-free manner, the School Education Commissioner directed the DEOs to take stern action per law and rules against those indulging in malpractices.
