After leak, CBSE proposes electronically coded papers

A file photo of students leaving the examination centre in Delhi   | Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy

There will be a meeting between MHRD and CBSE officials to put in place a stronger system to preserve examination sanctity, official sources said.

There will be a meeting between MHRD and CBSE officials to put in place a stronger system to preserve examination sanctity, official sources said, after Class-10 maths and Class-12 economics question papers were leaked, and the CBSE had to announce re-examination in the two subjects.

“One option being discussed is to have electronically coded papers, the key to which will be given only one hour before the exam to the centres and they will print it in the presence of observers,” said an official source on Wednesday. As of now, he added, question papers are stored in bank lockers and released to the centres just before the examination.

Earlier in the day, a CBSE circular announced that the two examinations will be conducted again. The economics examination was held on Monday and the maths examination on Wednesday. Initially, CBSE sources had denied allegations of the economics examination paper leak. “With a view to uphold the sanctity of the board examinations and in the interest of fairness to the students, the board has decided to re-conduct the examinations... ,” the CBSE circular stated.

Meanwhile there were adverse reactions to the question paper leak on the social media, with CBSE trending on twitter.

Congress leader and former union minister Ajay Maken tweeted that his son had studied hard for the examination and was dejected.

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala too tweeted, “Modi Govt should be renamed as ‘Paper Leak Govt’! SSC Scam jeopardised the future of over 2 Cr Youth. #CBSE Xth & XIIth class #PaperLeak has road hit the aspirations & hard work of lakhs of toiling students. Modiji, Your Govt has imperiled the future of our ‘Exam Warriors’!”

Former union minister Shashi Tharoor tweeted, “The CBSE leak is a disgrace & accountability is essential. Officials must be culpable, yet it is innocent students who will be punished.” He shared a student petition on change.org that reached him: ‘Why should innocent students suffer for leaked paper of CBSE exams?’