Mumbai: Now, a proposal by state board to unseal SSC question papers inside exam halls

Mumbai: In an attempt to prevent paper leaks in Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination, the state board has now proposed to unseal question papers in examination hall or classrooms. This year, three papers of SSC board examination were leaked while slotting the question papers at examination centres.

This move has come inorder to avert any kind of access to question papers to any teacher or staff involved before the examination time. The History and Political Science and Information Technology papers of SSC were leaked by clicking photographs of question papers and were then circulated through social media like Instagram and WhatsApp.

The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) has proposed to avoid slotting of question papers. A senior official of state board, said, “We will use the HSC system of unsealing question papers kept in an envelope directly in examination halls. In this process there is no chance for any member to access the question papers. In current SSC process, images of question papers are clicked and circulated while segregating papers at centres as there are multiple staff involved in this process which takes place one hour before the examination.”

Also read: Mumbai: Teachers await SSC and HSC answer papers to complete assessment, avoid result delay

As of now, digital copy of SSC question papers are sent to various centres which are then downloaded, printed and segregated into different slots at examination centres. While, HSC papers are directly sealed in an envelope which is unsealed in examination halls in the presence of students as witness. MSBSHSE has proposed the state education ministry to adopt HSC system for next SSC examination to avoid paper leaks.

The main accused Feroz Khan who is arrested for leaking question papers revealed he clicked the image of the paper in the staff room. Bharat Gaikwad, Senior Inspector of Amboli Police, said, “The accused clicked a photograph while slotting the papers from his school’s staff room and sent it to students via Instagram. The image was then circulated among 31 students of his coaching class.” Khan charged around Rs 1000 to Rs 1500 for leaking one question paper to students.

In addition, eight students who have been involved in the case have been sent to Dongri remand home. The probe is going on and further action will be taken based on the report of the probe panel of the police and state board.