High-level probe into MP Board question ‘lapse’

The Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE) teachers, who prepared the Hindi question paper for Class 12 that allegedly asked a controversial question on the demerits of caste-based reservation in India, may face action.

The Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE) teachers, who prepared the Hindi question paper for Class 12 that allegedly asked a controversial question on the demerits of caste-based reservation in India, may face action.

Students write MP Board examination at Government Naveen Girls’ Higher Secondary School in Bhopal.(HT file photo/Mujeeb Faruqui)

An additional chief secretary-level inquiry has been set up in the matter after chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured action against the people responsible on Tuesday.

The issue had rocked the state assembly. According to the state education department officials, no question that had the potential of hurting sentiments of any caste, community or religion could be a part of the question paper.

“The (question paper) setter and moderator are responsible for (the) lapses, as in the checklist it is clearly mentioned that any question, which can hurt sentiments of a caste or religion, shouldn’t be included in the paper,” additional chief secretary SR Mohanty told HT.

“It is only (the question paper) setter and moderator who see the paper. Before finalising it, they have to see the checklist, which includes rules and regulations. They also give an affidavit that they have prepared the question paper according to rules and would maintain secrecy,” Mohanty said, adding that the people responsible may face departmental action and, if required, criminal action for incorporating a controversial question in the question paper.

Paper set in two stages

The board examination papers are set in two stages

In the first stage, the setters prepare five to 10 sets of questions for an exam

Then it is looked into by the moderator, who is supposed to be a senior teacher

After that all the sets are sealed in an envelope

Finally, one of the sealed sets is randomly picked by the board authorities and sent for printing

From printing press, it directly reaches the examination hall.