Ludhiana: PSEB evaluates result despite paper leak

PSEB organised sessions with heads and principals of Ludhiana government schools at Chandigarh University, Gharaun, to evaluate the students’ performance in the mid-term exams held last month, despite the leak of question papers

Punjab State Education Board (PSEB) organised sessions with heads and principals of Ludhiana government schools at Chandigarh University, Gharaun, to review the students’ performance in the mid-term exams held last month, despite the leak of question papers.

Sukhdarshan Singh, president of the Anti-Cheating Teachers’ Front, Punjab, who was the whistleblower in the paper leak case, said that instead of taking legal action against the culprit who leaked the question papers on his Youtube, PSEB is evaluating result. (Representative photo)

The midterm exams, conducted for Classes 6 to 12, were based on the multiple-choice questions pattern to prepare the students for the National Achievement Survey (NAS) exam to be held on November 12.

The heads gave PowerPoint presentations of the results of their respective schools. According to the result sheets submitted by the Ludhiana schools, maximum students secured between 40% to 80% marks.

The teachers were made familiar with various techniques to prepare students for NAS.

“Many students are habitual of mugging concepts rather than understanding the basics. We were asked to make them understand the basics. Not many students could score around 80% in these exams. To bag the top spot for the state, it is essential that our students should secure above 80%,” said a principal.

Meanwhile, Sukhdarshan Singh, president of the Anti-Cheating Teachers’ Front, Punjab, who was the whistleblower in the paper leak case, said that instead of taking legal action against the culprit who leaked the question papers on his Youtube, the board is evaluating results.

“There is no sense in evaluating the result of the papers which got leaked much before the exam date. The department should not make a mockery of the education system. It should have cancelled these exams and should have initiated legal action against the accused,” said Sukhdarshan Singh.

October tests postponed

The education department postponed the NAS mock tests that were scheduled to begin on October 4.

A government school lecturer said, “The department deferred the October tests after getting criticized for the leak of the September exam question papers. Moreover, the deputy commissioner, Ludhiana, has asked the district education officer to submit a reply on the action initiated by the department against the paper leak in a meeting to be held in October.”

Meanwhile, DEO Lakhvir Singh Samra said that the exams were postponed to give students more time to prepare. On being asked why no action was initiated against the paper leak, he claimed that it was a state matter, and he cannot do much about it.