As per media reports, according to Inter-Education Board Coordination Subcommittee data, 976 students were expelled during Higher Secondary Certificate and equivalent exams held under eight General, one Madrasha and one Technical Education Boards in 2017. During Secondary School Certificate and equivalent exams held under 10 Boards in 2017, a total of 1,143 students were expelled.
The number of expelled students both in HSC and SSC exams has been increasing since last five years. But we must admit that the figures mentioned above is just the tip of iceberg as such practices in public examinations is far more widespread and only a few are expelled while a good many go unpunished. This grim picture is contradictory to the Education Ministry’s determination of holding public exams free of unfair means.
Students now have to take four public exams: Primary Education Completion Examination (PECE) after Class V, Junior School Certificate (JSC) after Class VIII, Secondary School Certificate (SSC) after class x and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) after class XII. It is really alarming that examinees sitting for public exam after Class V and VII have been developing the habit of taking unethical practices in exams as a good number of parents and teachers have been acting as their helping hands.
Insiders of various Education Boards feel that students are leaning towards copying, as they in many cases do not get proper education in classroom. Side by side some dishonest teachers also help their students in copying in order to ensure an increased pass rate for their school in public exams. Unhealthy competition between schools for artificial success has made the situation more complicated.
Standard of our education system is under question for various reasons including gross indiscipline. Combination of inefficiency and dishonesty has made the whole system vulnerable and its main victims are the students. If dishonesty penetrates inside the teachers and students, we are compelled to say, our future as a nation is bleak. So, the restoration of transparency of public exams is a must for our collective wellness.
