Assam: 9 Principals Suspended Over HS 1st-Year Question Paper Leak

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The Director of Secondary Education (DSE) has finally taken action against 9 principals of schools and one teacher found to be involved in the leakage of question papers in the Higher Secondary (HS) 1st year examination 2025, conducted by the Assam State School Education Board (ASSEB) Div II. With this, the number of those suspended went up to 11, as one principal was earlier suspended on the same charge.

All nine principals/in-charge principals and the postgraduate (PG) teacher have been suspended, and departmental proceedings drawn against them following their furnishing unsatisfactory replies to show-cause letters regarding the leakage of question papers in the centres where they were in charge.

Confirming the development, DSE Mamata Hojai told The Sentinel, “After the leakage of question papers was confirmed by ASSEB, we had asked for explanations from ten centre in-charges. Of the ten found to be implicated in the leakage, five are principals, four are in-charge principals and one is a subject teacher. Explanations were sought from them in writing. However, their replies were not found satisfactory. As we are the appointing authority, we have initiated action against them in the form of suspension and departmental proceedings. Upon their being placed under suspension, the inspectors of schools in the respective district centres have been allowed to act as principal in-charge, along with the financial powers entailed.”

Those placed under suspension include Dr Rohit Chandra Rabha, principal of Narengkati HS School in Sonitpur district, who was suspended for leakage of question papers related to the subjects of Education, Logic & Philosophy; Sandhya Bezbora, principal of PM Shri Kathiatali HS School in Nagaon district for leakage of Education question paper; Kabita Chutia, principal in-charge of Bordoloni Sr. Sec. School in Dhemaji; Pradip Kumar Dutta, principal in-charge of Dulimerh HC School in Dhemaji for Sociology paper; Chakrabarti Borgohain, principal in-charge of Dhemaji Girls’ Sr. Sec. School; Gopiram Doley, principal of Paschim Jonai Sr. Sec. School in Dhemaji district; Leenamoni Buragohain, principal of Sree Sree Kamalabari Satra HS School in Jorhat for MIL (Assamese) question paper; Mainul Hoque Mondal, principal of Lakhiganj HS School in Dhubri for Mathematics question paper; and Pradip Kumar Kalita, principal in-charge of Rangia Girls’ HS School for Mathematics paper.  

The teacher involved is Himani Dutta, a postgraduate teacher of Baguan HS School in Goalpara for the leakage of the Advanced Assamese question paper.

Earlier, Md. Samsuddin Ahmed, principal of Arya Vidyapeeth HS & MP School, had been suspended for his role in the leakage of a question paper.

The HS 1st-year exam started on March 6 and was supposed to conclude by March 29. However, the exam for Mathematics, due to be held on March 21, was cancelled following the leakage of the question paper on the previous day. ASSEB stated on March 22 that the leakage of question papers of other subjects could not be ruled out and cancelled all the remaining exams, starting March 24.

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