Matric exams begin with a hiccup

The fortnight-long Odisha High School Certificate (Matriculation) Examinations began across the State from Friday. Reports reaching here said the first day’s examination ended smoothly with at least 74 students booked for ‘malpractices’ as they were found using unfair means to write papers during the examination.

Similarly, the authorities of Board of Secondary Education (BSE), which conducts the examination, went into a tizzy for a brief period midway during the two-and-half-an-hour-examination duration when reports appeared in certain TV channels that the question paper was leaked.

The authorities later clarified that some pages of multiple questions, which went viral in Whatsapp messages, are technically not question leak. “Since the MCQ paper was over by 10 am, the messages spread at 10.45 am have not affected the examination at all,” said BSE President Jahan Ara Begum.

She said some mischief mongers might have taken the photographs of the question papers after the MCQ paper was over at 10 am and shared them in social media to start rumours. She assured that adequate measures have been taken to conduct the examinations in proper manners.

She also informed that the Government has taken the matter very seriously. “I am sure the State Government will initiate steps to identify the mischief mongers and take appropriate action as per law because such an act will demoralise the students and spread panic among parents and teachers,” she said.