After leak, CBSE announces re-examination
ACCORDING TO REPORTS, BOARD OFFICIALS GOT A TIP-OFF ABOUT THE LEAKAGE ON MARCH 23, TWO DAYS BEFORE THE ECONOMICS EXAM
Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) yesterday said it would announce new examination dates for Class 10 Maths and Class 12 Economics papers, which were cancelled after the question papers were leaked on social media hours before the exam.
According to CBSE’s official release, “the fresh dates for the reconduct of the two exams shall be announced before the end of the week, after taking into consideration the dates of other professional exams and logistics.”
On March 26, Class 12 CBSE students were left appalled following rumours of the leak of the Economics paper. However, CBSE denied the claims, saying they had “checked with all examination centres and the paper was not leaked.”
“There has been no leakage of the question paper. All the seals have been found intact at all the exam centres. During the process of exam, however, at local level some miscreants have tried to play mischief by circulating messages through WhatsApp and social media to disturb the sanctity of examinations. A police complaint is being lodged by CBSE,” a CBSE statement read.
A case was filed on March 27, a day after the exam. But according to reports, the Board got a tip-off on March 23, two days before the economics exam. Also a copy of the leaked question paper of Class 10 Math exam was reportedly delivered to the office of CBSE chairperson on March 27. Later the Board admitted to having knowledge of the paper leak.
Envelope received
“On March 26, CBSE academic unit received an unaddressed envelope containing four sheets of handwritten answer papers of economics paper held on that day. It was indicated in the papers kept inside the envelope that the question paper was leaked and circulated through four WhatsApp numbers,” CBSE said in its complaint to Delhi Police.
Delhi Police Crime Branch conducted raids at various locations across Delhi yesterday. The investigation is focusing on the role of CBSE officials, invigilators, coaching centres and printers.
The paper leak case named the head of a coaching centre in West Delhi’s Rajinder Nagar. The police say they have recovered from him snapshots of the handwritten question papers, which were being circulated on WhatsApp.
“We are trying to trace the source of the WhatsApp messages, but are facing problems because of the end-to-end encryption,” a source in Delhi Police Crime Branch told Gulf News.
Meanwhile, students on Wednesday held massive protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi demanding CBSE to hold a re-examination for all papers, instead of just the two. They said many other papers were leaked before the exams.
Reacting to the leak, Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Prakash Javadekar said “two-three papers had been leaked on WhatsApp 30 minutes before the exams. A special investigation team has been formed to look into the matter. Delhi Police is also questioning 25 people, mostly students, who had access to the handwritten question papers. The police are hoping to work backwards to trace the source.”
He said a new leakproof system would be put in place for conducting Board exams. The HRD Minister also spoke to Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi and apprised him of the situation.