A reformed procedure for releasing of question papers called ‘Examination Management System’ will be implemented on a pilot basis in select schools, and depending on its success, will be used in all schools from the next academic year
Chennai: Following the question paper leaks during the Class 10 and 12 board exams over the past two years, the Education department officials have been striving hard to put in place a foolproof mechanism for the coming board exams to ensure that no such leaks take place. In December last year, several question papers, including that of Mathematics, Physics and Commerce, meant for half-yearly examinations even for Class 11 students were allegedly circulated on the social media sites — including ShareChat and Helo — two days before the examinations. With the School Education Department coming in for sharp criticism, the Directorate of Examination — which prepares the question papers, involving academicians and teachers — came out with a denial on any large-scale leak. However, it didn’t stop complaints from pouring in from the aggrieved students and parents.
To put an end to this nagging problem and to make its exam system transparent and above suspicion, the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Examinations, which has been debating various options to check a repeat of such incidents, is now coming out with a reformed procedure for releasing of question papers called ‘Examination Management System’. “Repeated incidents of question paper leaks have not only adversely affected the image of the educational institutions or university concerned, but also the Education department,” admitted a senior official of Tamil Nadu Directorate of Examinations. The official said the authorities have worked out a mechanism in which schools can download the question papers only at the time of exams. The system will be implemented on a pilot basis in select schools, and depending on their success, will be used in all schools from the next academic year.
Digitally encrypted Q-papers
According to the Examination Management System, question papers would be made available to schools online via a secure system. Under this process, which will be implemented in select schools for this academic year, each school with examination centre will be getting a login ID and they would be able to download the question papers two hours before the exam. The password will be communicated to the administrator, who can gain access to the encrypted papers.
Also, the Controller of Examinations will track the entire process using special software. The procedure will also help bring down the cost of delivery of printed question paper at the examination centres as the printing of the question paper would happen at the schools. “There won’t be any need for strong room to store the question papers. Similarly, security guards too can be done away with once the method comes into practice,” an Education department official said.
Sending questions via email
An alternative system that has been planned by Education department officials is to send the question papers to the schools at the time of exams via email. According to an official with Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu, a wing of IT department, the email method of sending question papers will be introduced in select schools during the common revision test to be held this month, before the common exams in March and April. “It (email id) will be protected with a password and it will be opened only by the headmasters or a specifically appointed non-teaching staff for the purpose,” he said.
Pointing out that most of the private and self-financing schools do have computers and printers, which are a must to take printouts before commencing of the exams, the official said: Required equipment will be sent to those government schools that do not have printers. Also, the government high and higher secondary schools would be equipped with an inverter and other facilities for uninterrupted power supply, especially during the examinations.
How present system works
As per the existing system, question papers were distributed manually from the directorate of examinations in Chennai to all district education offices two or three days before the exams begin. Later, the question papers are distributed to respective schools according to their requirement and it is the responsibility of schools to keep the question papers in a safe room. “Sometimes, non-teaching and teaching staff at the schools take snaps of the question papers by breaking into the strong rooms,” said an Education department official, explaining how the leaks were happening.
“A few persons have been arrested after being held responsible in such cases. However, the government should come up with stringent rules to increase the punishment to deter them,” said S Savithiri, a Mathematics teacher in a government-aided school at Nanganallur near the city. She also pointed out that the question paper leaks adversely affect lakhs of genuine students. “It’s the good ones who are the worst hit. They lose confidence and their attitude towards exams changes. Such incidents not only affect their education but also instil stress and fear in them. We are seeking assistance from the experts to find a permanent solution to the issue,” she said.
Cybercrime, IT help sought
Following the recent question paper leaks, the School Education Department has approached the State Cybercrime wing and sought its help to make the whole system fool-proof and to stop such question paper leaks in the future.
An official from the Directorate of Examination said the authorities have also sought the expertise of State Information Technology department to put an end to the problem. He said the Cybercrime wing will help the department locate the persons who were involved in question paper leak and bring them to books. The official also said that all district education officers have been alerted to check for irregularities in their respective region. “We’ve asked them to keep extra vigil by keeping vulnerable schools under their radar and ensure the smooth conduct of exams,” he said.
With only a few weeks for the board exams to begin, parents and teachers remain concerned about the leakage of question papers. K Ravindaran, a parent and a representative of the parent-teacher association in a government school at Tambaram, said first of all the Directorate of Examination should live up to the expectation by implementing new measures to stop leakage of question papers on social media. “The measures should not be on paper alone. They should be thoroughly discussed and implemented for the benefit of the students,” he said.
K Valarmathi, a parent and a housewife, hailing from Pallavaram said there should not be any loophole in implementing new measures as it would adversely affect the functioning of the directorate. “Though new measures will be implemented, the Directorate of Examinations should be always alert,” she said.
State Platform for Common School System, Tamil Nadu (SPCSS-TN) Secretary PB Prince Gajendra Babu said that technology should have a full proof system. “There should be a check at every level to prevent hacking,” he said. Stating that technology could be always tampered with, he asked: “Why can’t the government strengthen the conventional system of distributing question papers?”
To put an end to this nagging problem and to make its exam system transparent and above suspicion, the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Examinations, which has been debating various options to check a repeat of such incidents, is now coming out with a reformed procedure for releasing of question papers called ‘Examination Management System’. “Repeated incidents of question paper leaks have not only adversely affected the image of the educational institutions or university concerned, but also the Education department,” admitted a senior official of Tamil Nadu Directorate of Examinations. The official said the authorities have worked out a mechanism in which schools can download the question papers only at the time of exams. The system will be implemented on a pilot basis in select schools, and depending on their success, will be used in all schools from the next academic year.
Digitally encrypted Q-papers
According to the Examination Management System, question papers would be made available to schools online via a secure system. Under this process, which will be implemented in select schools for this academic year, each school with examination centre will be getting a login ID and they would be able to download the question papers two hours before the exam. The password will be communicated to the administrator, who can gain access to the encrypted papers.
Also, the Controller of Examinations will track the entire process using special software. The procedure will also help bring down the cost of delivery of printed question paper at the examination centres as the printing of the question paper would happen at the schools. “There won’t be any need for strong room to store the question papers. Similarly, security guards too can be done away with once the method comes into practice,” an Education department official said.
Sending questions via email
An alternative system that has been planned by Education department officials is to send the question papers to the schools at the time of exams via email. According to an official with Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu, a wing of IT department, the email method of sending question papers will be introduced in select schools during the common revision test to be held this month, before the common exams in March and April. “It (email id) will be protected with a password and it will be opened only by the headmasters or a specifically appointed non-teaching staff for the purpose,” he said.
Pointing out that most of the private and self-financing schools do have computers and printers, which are a must to take printouts before commencing of the exams, the official said: Required equipment will be sent to those government schools that do not have printers. Also, the government high and higher secondary schools would be equipped with an inverter and other facilities for uninterrupted power supply, especially during the examinations.
How present system works
As per the existing system, question papers were distributed manually from the directorate of examinations in Chennai to all district education offices two or three days before the exams begin. Later, the question papers are distributed to respective schools according to their requirement and it is the responsibility of schools to keep the question papers in a safe room. “Sometimes, non-teaching and teaching staff at the schools take snaps of the question papers by breaking into the strong rooms,” said an Education department official, explaining how the leaks were happening.
“A few persons have been arrested after being held responsible in such cases. However, the government should come up with stringent rules to increase the punishment to deter them,” said S Savithiri, a Mathematics teacher in a government-aided school at Nanganallur near the city. She also pointed out that the question paper leaks adversely affect lakhs of genuine students. “It’s the good ones who are the worst hit. They lose confidence and their attitude towards exams changes. Such incidents not only affect their education but also instil stress and fear in them. We are seeking assistance from the experts to find a permanent solution to the issue,” she said.
Cybercrime, IT help sought
Following the recent question paper leaks, the School Education Department has approached the State Cybercrime wing and sought its help to make the whole system fool-proof and to stop such question paper leaks in the future.
An official from the Directorate of Examination said the authorities have also sought the expertise of State Information Technology department to put an end to the problem. He said the Cybercrime wing will help the department locate the persons who were involved in question paper leak and bring them to books. The official also said that all district education officers have been alerted to check for irregularities in their respective region. “We’ve asked them to keep extra vigil by keeping vulnerable schools under their radar and ensure the smooth conduct of exams,” he said.
With only a few weeks for the board exams to begin, parents and teachers remain concerned about the leakage of question papers. K Ravindaran, a parent and a representative of the parent-teacher association in a government school at Tambaram, said first of all the Directorate of Examination should live up to the expectation by implementing new measures to stop leakage of question papers on social media. “The measures should not be on paper alone. They should be thoroughly discussed and implemented for the benefit of the students,” he said.
K Valarmathi, a parent and a housewife, hailing from Pallavaram said there should not be any loophole in implementing new measures as it would adversely affect the functioning of the directorate. “Though new measures will be implemented, the Directorate of Examinations should be always alert,” she said.
State Platform for Common School System, Tamil Nadu (SPCSS-TN) Secretary PB Prince Gajendra Babu said that technology should have a full proof system. “There should be a check at every level to prevent hacking,” he said. Stating that technology could be always tampered with, he asked: “Why can’t the government strengthen the conventional system of distributing question papers?”