Despite tough security measures and stern warnings by the education minister, question paper leak continues unabated.
The leaked question paper of Bangla Paper 1 appeared on the social media half an hour before the test on the first day of SSC and equivalent examinations on Thursday.
The original question paper matched word for word with the original one used in the three-hour exam that ended at 1pm.
Education officials, however, deny the fact that the question paper has been leaked.
Over 2 million students are taking the SSC and equivalents exams starting from Thursday for the first time this year with the same question papers in all education boards.
Ever since some Facebook pages and groups made announcement on continuing leaking question papers of the SSC and HSC exams after leaking those of the PEC and JSC tests last year, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid has been issuing stern warnings against the malpractice for some days.
But the leaked question paper, including answers, of multiple choice question or MCQ section of the first SSC test surfaced on a number of Facebook and Messenger groups half an hour before the exam.
Just 24 minutes before the test started, a Messenger group titled “@@@@ bangla 2nd Paper @@@@@” released an image version of the leaked ‘Kha’ set of the question paper and it was a verbatim copy of the original one.
In their frantic bid to plug question leaks, authorities have made it mandatory for students to enter the exam centres half an hour before the tests begin, but the rule was apparently enforced in a relaxed manner on Thursday.
During a visit to an exam centre in Dhaka in the morning, Nahid said any evidence of question leaks would lead to the cancellation of SSC tests.
“We are very much desperate to stop this. Those trying to leak question papers will not be spared. I can’t imagine what will become of them. We’ll take extreme action,” he said.
But when bdnews24.com tried to contact him for comments as the leak of the question paper was confirmed after the end of the test, his mobile phone was unreachable.
When bdnews24.com informed Dhaka education board examinations controller Tapan Kumar Sarker by phone about the leak, he said, “You may run a report if you want to. We’ve already taken measures.
“We know that the question paper had not been leaked,” he added before hanging up.
How the leaked questions spread
An advertisement was posted on a Facebook group titled “PSC o JSC o SSC o HSC Exam Helping Center” from an ID called ‘Sadia Islam Setu’ at 12:49am on Thursday.
The post reads: “SSC Q 2018. BANGLA 1ST PAPER FREE TE DIBO. JADER LAGBE INBOX ME?” (Inbox me if you need the leaked question paper of Bangla Paper 1 for free).
When bdnews24.com contacted the ID instantly through Messenger, it was told to join the Messenger group titled “@@@@ bangla 2nd Paper @@@@@”.
The image of the ‘Kha’ set question paper and two hand-written answer sheets were posted on the Messenger group at 9:36am, around half an hour before the exam, from an ID called ‘MD Tamim Khan’.
The ID, ‘Sadia Islam Setu’, later sent another message, rejoicing at the success.
“Listen everyone, we just saw today whether it will work or not. Now we are sure that it will work. I will give you three sets of the writing section tonight. One of those will be used in the exam. And the MCQ section will be available between 8:30 and 9:00 in the morning. I hope you understand everything now!!!!” the message reads.
“Question paper costs Tk 300 only. Please send a photo of your admit card or Tk 200 in advance if you want the question paper,” it adds.
The same image of the leaked question paper also appeared before the exam on Facebook groups titled “PSC JSC SSC HSC Real Question Out All Board 100% Common”, “SSC Question Out”, and “SSC Question Out 100% Common All BD & Rezult Change 2018+19+20All BoarD”.
