Confusion galore as SEBA changes dates again

HSLC/AHM EXAMITION SCHEDULE

Student bodies continue protests, Minister Pallab Lochan Das promises uninterrupted power supply to examition centres

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

Guwahati, Feb 21: After the goof-up by Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA) on Monday, more uncertainty was in store for 4 examinees appearing for the HSLC/AHM exams. Less than 24 hours after rescheduling the date of Social Science test, it was again rescheduled on Tuesday, indicating the ad-hocism and confusion prevailing in the Class X board exam authority.

Following reports of leakage of Social Science and Assamese question papers on Monday in Hojai and Baksa districts, the SEBA postponed the Social Science test to March 8 instead of February 23, while keeping the date of Assamese test unchanged on March 7. The paper leakage had occurred during the test of General Mathematics on Monday morning.

On Tuesday, the SEBA decided to further postpone the date of the Social Science test to March 11; it also rescheduled the date of practical examitions. As per the revised schedule now, the practical exams will commence from March 15 instead of March 10 as scheduled earlier.

Even though SEBA chairman RC Jain tried to justify the new dates, he failed to reply convincingly to the question as why the board was in a tearing hurry on Monday to reschedule the same. Sources told The

Sentinel that the SEBA again rescheduled the dates this morning following pressure from various quarters.

Examinees and parents meanwhile have accused the SEBA of playing with the careers of students by changing decisions at the drop of a hat on the plea of smooth conduct of exams. Such flip-flops are detrimental to serious academic and mental preparations of examinees, they rued.

The Chatra Mukti Sangram Samiti and tiol Students Union of India which gheraoed the SEBA head office here this morning protesting the incidents of Monday, said the State Board should be closed down if it fails to reform itself. Both the organizations also demanded resigtion of Education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as he has ‘flopped in executing grandiose plans’ for smooth conduct of the exams this year.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Power Pallab Lochan Das on Tuesday assured uninterrupted power supply to all examition centres. Many examinees in Barpeta, Dibrugarh, Bongaigaon and a few other

districts yesterday had to write the General Mathematics paper in candle-light, owing to poor visibility inside exam halls. There were reports of power disruptions in these exam centres.

Das told reporters here that officials of Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd (APDCL) will visit all 854 examition centres across the State to know about the status of electricity there. He said the officials would work on war footing to sort out problems relating to power supply during the remainder of the ongoing HSLC/AHM exams.

“We will try to ensure hassle-free and uninterrupted power supply in all exams centres,” Das promised, though pleading helplessness in case of power failure in case of tural calamities.