State board refuses to acknowledge paper leak

Mumbai: The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) has no clue about the Chemistry paper leak which occurred last week. So much so that according to the board, what happened cannot be termed as a “paper leak” since it occurred between 11.30 am and 11.45 am i.e. after the examination started.

The Bhoiwada police arrested four accused last week who were reportedly involved in the paper leak. An image of the Chemistry question paper of H.S.C. (Science stream) students was found on the mobile phone of a student at the examination centre, M.D. College, Parel. The supervisors caught the student after the examination, after which a case was registered at the nearest police station. After the incident, the MSBSHSE was alerted about it.  

Meanwhile, Subhash Borse, in-charge secretary, MSBSHSE, told this newspaper, “We have no idea how the entire incident occurred but we are happy that it occurred after the examination began. However, we still cannot let go of the incident. We have constituted an inquiry committee to investigate further into the matter. Once we get to know whether the paper leak occurred on the part of outsiders or college staff, we will take action accordingly.”

Mr Borse confirmed that the student caught with the question paper was allowed to appear for the examination. “He gave the exam like everyone else and will be allowed to appear for all the remaining examinations. However, after the final outcome of the investigation, if the student is proven guilty, his results will be withheld and he will be debarred from reappearing for three years,” he said.

Strict rules see fewer latecomers and copying

The strict rules by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) has seen very few later comers and copying incidents this year during the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations. The board confirmed that not more three students have been late and there has been a decrease in the number of cases of copying in the city centers.

On the first day of the HSC exam, around nine students were not allowed to appear for the exam because they reached late. “Intially, there were students who came late but we stuck to our rules of not letting them into the exam center no matter what excuse they had. This created a serious environment among the students which made them reach on time,” Subhash Borse, in-charge secretary of MSBSHSE told this paper.  The students, who came late for the exam, are asked to go back and reappear for the missed paper in the month of July for the ATKT exams. 

There has also been a decrease in the number of copying cases in the Mumbai centers. The HSC exam conducted on Monday and Wednesday saw zero copying cases in all 583 centers in Mumbai region that includes Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Palghar district. This year around 3.3 lakh students are appearing for the HSC examination and till now all the major examinations are over.