SSC paper leak: 16-member panel to decide fate of Maharashtra school

A special committee consisting of 16 members, including subject experts, state board officials and senior officials from the state education minister, will now conduct an inquiry on the recent spate of paper leaks in Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations.

While a police inquiry is already underway, this particular committee will inquire not just the problem of paper leak but also the routine conduct of the Mumbra-based school linked to all five paper leaks.

“The police will conduct a judicial inquiry whereas our inquiry will decide the fate of the school. This committee has many subject experts in order to determine whether the school has even followed any academic criteria other than their role in the recent paper leaks,” said Subhash Borse, in-charge secretary of the Mumbai division of Maharashtra State Board for Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE).

He added that the first meeting of this committee is set to take place by the end of this week.

Kiddies Paradise High School in Mumbra has been at the centre of the SSC question paper leak of five subjects.

Preliminary inquiries by the Amboli police station, which is investigating the case, has revealed that the alleged pictures of all five question papers were taken at this particular school itself.

“This is the first time that this school was made an exam centre and presently, there is very little information on the school with the board . This committee will look into every detail and their final report will seal the fate of the school’s future,” said Borse.

Two weeks ago, the state board started their routine inquiry for students caught cheating in board exams this year. Out of the 54 students who have been caught for malpractices, 16 SSC students have been caught for sharing papers on WhatsApp and have been named in separate FIRs.