E-Paper
HSC board serves notice after Jr College changes exam centre on its own
The incident came to light after the Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena (MNVS) complained about the issue to MSBSHSE officials
PUNE After chancing upon Class 12 students appearing for an examination at a junior college on Tilak road, actually writing answer sheets at a private coaching class located in the Camp area of Pune, the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) has served notice to the junior college. Additionally, MSBSHSE officials visited the campus of the college in question.
The incident came to light after the Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena (MNVS) complained about the issue to MSBSHSE officials. According to the MSBSHSE, Rao junior college on Tilak road had 51 students appearing for the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) or Class 12 exam for this academic year. While the examination centre officially mentioned on the hall ticket was Rao junior college on Tilak road, these students were actually appearing for the exam at another private class premises in the Camp area at Solapur bazar. The junior college on Tilak road had been officially designated to conduct HSC board exams but since the last few days, it was being run by a coaching class for private competitive exams.
Sharad Gosavi, state director of MSBSHSE, said, “After the incident came to light, our Pune division officials visited the junior college and served notice, asking for an explanation. Without taking any permission from the board authorities, this junior college has directly changed the board examination centre, which is a serious matter. Even the earlier practical board exams were conducted at another private class premises and when some of the students raised the issue, it came to light.”
This year, the board had announced that the same schools or junior colleges where students have studied will be their respective exam centres in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. There are around 9,613 exam centres across Maharashtra this year.
“Our main concern is those 51 students from this junior college as they should not get disturbed in-between their ongoing board examination. Still, three of the papers are remaining which are optional papers - computer science, information technology, and geography. Now, these students will appear for the exam at their main centre which is Gopal high school and the junior college at Sadashiv peth. Once we get a response from the college, an inquiry will be carried out into the entire issue and action will be taken accordingly,” Gosavi said. The HSC exam began this year on March 4 and will continue till the first week of April.
According to board officials, Rao junior college was not supposed to admit students to Class 11 but it still went ahead.
“We have come to know about some of the technical issues regarding this college, as it was not allowed to take admissions for Class 11 in the academic year 2021-22. But it still continued to take admissions and register Class 12 students for board exams which will be looked into. If it needs any help or change in its college premises and exam centres, it needs to apply for it and take the proper officials’ permission. We are ready to provide all the necessary help to the college,” said Gosavi.
Prashant Kanojia, Pune district president of MNVS, said, “When we came to know about the issue as some of the students complained to us, we immediately took it up with the state board officials. There is a big question over cheating cases and whether Covid protocols were followed or not at the private class’s premises. So our demand is to take strict action against the people who are responsible for it.”
BOX
Examinations
Offline examination dates- March 4 to April 7
Practical, viva and internal assessment- February 14 to March 3
Number of students across Maharashtra- 1,472,562
Total subjects- 158
Science stream- 4
Other streams- 6
Question paper numbers- 356
Exam centres- over 9,000
