Colleges all set for ‘copy-free’ exams amid non-teaching staff strike

In Mumbai division, 3,44,744 students have registered for the exam – an increase by 30,000 as compared to last year.

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board has taken several measures in order to make this year’s Class 12 exams, which commence from Tuesday, free of malpractices. The exam centres will, however, have to contend with the non-teaching staff’s indefinite strike that began across the state on Monday.

Educational institutes, meanwhile, were also preparing to cope with conducting exams in the midst of a non-teaching staff strike. The strike is for various demands such as applying the Old Pension Scheme to post-2005 employees and applying the salary scale of the 7th Pay Commission, among others. (HT PHOTO)

In Mumbai division, 3,44,744 students have registered for the exam – an increase by 30,000 as compared to last year. Subhash Borse, divisional secretary, said the preparation for the Class 12 examination was complete at 635 centres under the division.

Colleges, meanwhile, were also preparing to cope with conducting exams in the midst of a non-teaching staff strike. The strike is for various demands such as applying the Old Pension Scheme to post-2005 employees and applying the salary scale of the 7th Pay Commission, among others.

Borse said that BMC education officials would help if any examination centre required extra manpower. But colleges have also made their own arrangements. “We are taking the help of contractual staff from our college to conduct the exams seamlessly,” said Madhav Rajwade, principal, Sathye College, Vile Parle. Added Anushree Lokur, principal, Ruia College, Matunga, “We will conduct the examination smoothly with the help of our teaching staff.”

In order to ensure that students do not face any kind of mental pressure during the exams, the Mumbai divisional board has provided counselling and a helpline facility. To prevent malpractices at centres, the state will implement a ‘copy-free’ exam campaign in which the commissioner of education and all district collectors have been appointed as nodal officers and the secondary education officer as the coordinating officer.

The police have also been made a part of the exercise, added Borse. “Unauthorised persons will not be allowed within 50 metres of the exam centres,” he said. “Prohibitory orders under Section 144 have been passed. All photocopy shops within 50 metres have been ordered to remain closed.” Apart from this, students entering the exam centres will be screened and distribution of question papers will be filmed. Vehicles transporting the officers carrying the question papers will be tracked by GPS.

With this year’s guidelines, students must show up at 10.30 am for the morning exam and at 2.30 pm for the afternoon one. Students will get 10 extra minutes to complete the answer sheet.