Telangana inter exams: Were Hindi medium students given poorly translated question papers?

Intermediate students in Telangana studying in Hindi medium have sparked controversy by alleging that they were handed a poorly translated question paper for their exams.

This year, the board did not translate the paper into Hindi instead, they informed colleges to arrange for spot translators.

It may be noted that in the whole state, only two centres have Hindi medium students appearing for the exams — Adarsh Hindi Maha Vidyalaya Junior College Nizamabad and Hindi Maha Vidyalaya Junior College Nallakunta.

As many as 56 students paid the examination fees from this category and out of them, 24 are second-year students while 32 are first-year students.

The allegation was that handwritten translated copies were given to the students. There was also a delay in handing over the copies. As a result, the students weren't just having a difficult time understanding the handwriting but had lesser time to attempt the questions.

Officials of the Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE) said that it is a malicious attempt to create controversy over an issue which was caused due to pandemic-related shortage of teachers.

The usual practice, they said, is to set the question papers in Telugu and English after which, it is translated to Urdu and Hindi by regular teachers. Since there are no regular Hindi medium teachers owing to COVID, the board used to enlist the services of retired regular Hindi medium teachers.

"Due to COVID, old retired lecturers are not available. Keeping in view of the high level of confidential work, translation of question paperwork cannot be entrusted to anyone other than junior lecturers," said a statement from Syed Omer Jaleel, Secretary, TSBIE.

He also clarified that it was on March 5, much in advance, that the principals of the two colleges offering Hindi medium were informed that they would be given English papers and a Hindi medium subject lecturer will need to translate it to Hindi. Also, compensatory time will be given to students. They added that the same norm is followed in Marathi and Kannada medium as well.