Class 10 students fall for fake schedule, miss Hindi exam

AS PER BOARD , HINDI EXAMWAS SCHEDULED ON MARCH 8. IN THE FAKE SCHEDULE THAT WENT VIRAL, THE SAME EXAM IS LISTED ON MARCH 9

MUMBAI:: Trusting a fake exam schedule that went viral, many students appearing for Class 10th board exams failed to turn up for their Hindi paper on Thursday. On Friday, the parents of these students demanded a special examination. However, the school education minister dismissed the demand saying that the exam board is not at fault.

With their demands for a special examination going unheeded, these students will have to accept their ATKT result, seek admission in class 11, and appear for the supplementary exam in July to clear this subject.

As per the official timetable of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE), Hindi exam, as a second language, was scheduled on March 8. However, in the fake schedule that went viral, the same exam is listed on March 9. As a result, many students got confused and did not appear for their Hindi paper.

Dismissing the demand by parents for a special examination, the school education minister Deepak Kesarkar said, “The board is not at fault here. The students were repeatedly told not to believe the viral schedule on social media. These students will now have to take the supplementary exam, which will be held in July.” Shekhar Sangurde, father of a class 10 student said, “My son failed to appear for the Hindi exam. He was planning to start preparing for IIT exam. We have also paid fee for classes, but are now tense. The government should send board exam updates on the social media rather than rely on old methods of communication.”

Sharad Gosavi, chairman MSBSHSE, said, “It is students’ mistake to believe in the viral timetable. We have been telling not to believe everything that goes viral.”

Shrikant Shingare, a counsellor appointed by MSBSHSE’s Mumbai division, said, “We received around five calls from those who missed the Hindi language paper. They said the fake schedule was an image printed on a card and circulated by various student groups.”