The leak of Class X Board exam question papers in Assam led to the cancellation of the exam for two papers within a week. Following this, on Friday, March 17, State Education Minister Ranoj Pegu asserted that the entire examination system would be analysed and rectified.
Admitting that there were "lapses in the system", he said that the Secondary Education Board, Assam (SEBA) has to figure out where the problems are and take corrective measures. "We have to rectify it together," the Minister stated, according to a report by PTI.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed on Thursday evening, March 16, that days after the Class X Board exam General Science question paper leak, the Assamese paper was also leaked. This has led to the cancellation of the forthcoming exams.
"All the Modern Indian Language (MIL) subject papers, including English, which were to be held tomorrow (March 18) have been cancelled as a precautionary step, as one of the accused revealed about leaking the Assamese question paper. The new dates will be announced by SEBA today," Pegu said.
And according to the SEBA notification, the MIL examination will now be held on March 30. The CID is investigating the case and several students have been arrested among others. A school headteacher, who has also been apprehended, is suspected to be the mastermind.
The question paper leaks have turned into a political issue. Reacting to the news, Opposition Congress said that the episode has brought the entire matric examination process under the scanner, as per PTI.
"Not only Assamese, but every paper of HSLC exam also seems to be under scanner. CM @himantabiswa, Education Minister @ranojpeguassam must be ashamed of themselves, take responsibility for this fiasco & resign. Horrific how @BJP4Assam Govt can play with the lives of lakhs of students," the party said on Twitter.
Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi also hit out at the government, claiming that such problems were bound to happen under a "bulldozer regime". "Shameful that the State Government has been unable to conduct an exam. Education and other crucial aspects of development are bound to suffer under a bulldozer regime," he tweeted.
Meanwhile, "Is it truly a conspiracy to destroy the Assamese vernacular medium?" asked Independent legislator Akhil Gogoi. Protests were staged in front of the Luit Khabalu High School in Majuli, whose headteacher is suspected to be the mastermind in the case. Locals gathered near the school since morning and raised slogans.
CM Sarma, on Thursday, admitted in the Assembly that the leak was a "failure" of his government. "I am sad to inform that one school's centre-in-charge and three other teachers are the main culprits. The matric paper leak should not have happened. It shows our failure. I accept my failure," he told the House, as per PTI.
