CBSE Paper Leak — Another Marvel of Board Exam

This year’s CBSE board exams have been conducted ‘extra’- ordinarily. Never before such rampant corruption in the board has been exposed so brazenly. In place of students, this time, the administrators and those in power cheated. And, all happened the same year when PM launched his book 'Exam Warrior' in which he preaches the importance of exams to the children and provided some measures to help them cope up with exam pressures.

When one of my acquaintance, who gave board exam this year, informed me about the unusual activities, I thought she is bluffing and it’s her mere excuse for not studying throughout the year. But now we all know that the bluff was real, that papers have leaked.

The leakage, as we know, took place on a popular messaging app Whatsapp, from one forward to another, to all others, even to those who are not connected to the exam at all. Though not every time and not all questions were leaked on WhatsApp. After all, why would the scamsters forward question paper to everyone for free? They, obviously, do not seem to be interested in charity. Neither does distributing question papers before exams fall in any kind of charity works. Instead, it's a criminal act under charges of criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and cheating.

So probably, the images of leaked paper start emerging on WhatsApp of the "ignorant" students either came too late or was fake. Or it might get leaked in the school exam centre by some over-excited teachers. There are a lot of other such conjectures about the paper leak among students and parents, who are now speculating that papers might have been leaked in the past too, the only difference this time is the revelation. In the age of WhatsApp, the leakage goes on to become too wide which rightfully creates doubts and suspicion among all students who wrote board exam this year in 2018.

The Central Board of Secondary Education or CBSE is responsible for maintaining quality school education across the country. But, with time, it has grown as a corrupt body. It was exposed the way it conducted NEET exams. But, there are big rackets around medical education, can be labelled as the most corrupt among all. Therefore, instead of CBSE, all fingers of accusation was put towards the Medical Council of India (MCI), an infamous medical regulatory body known for corruption and scams.

Are leaks a side-effect of digital India?

It seems so because, before digital India, we don't hear news of paper leak so frequently. Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio has only boosted it. With rapid digitization and the construction of a 'digital India', the government has not safeguarded the valuable information from the evils of corruption. which can be credited as a side effect of digital India, an ambitious programme of the present government under which massive digitalisation.

Re-exams

The decision to conduct re-exam of few selected subjects (Maths of Class 10, and Economics of Class 12), I think, intends to do the damage control. But, it is backfiring. Students, parents, teachers all have their own reason for criticizing this absurd move the government and CBSE came up with to make our 'unhappy' PM somewhat happy.

But, I think it would be a better decision to let this year's exam be as it happened —messed up— and 'fix the leakage' of information from the system to prevent further leakage in the future. I am not saying the government should adopt a "chalta hai" attitude in this regard. But, taking re-exams of some selected subjects is what solution?

Schools and coaching centres are those having a vested interest in the leakage. The paper, if gotten early, not only helps them make lots of money but also help them make their students able to pass with good marks which, in turn, help them increase their reputation and attract more and more students. I'm sure no one can deny the expansion of coaching mafias across the country.

How to stop leakage on WhatsApp?

Now that right to privacy has become a fundamental right, the government do not have the right to track who is sending or who is receiving what. The encrypted messaging app also makes it a hell lot difficult anyway. But, this business must be stopped to restore the faith of commons back in our education system. It isn't impossible, is it? If it seems so, think about the physics problems you have gone through while studying for board exams.

If our hon'ble MPs and policymakers have time, out of their busy and hectic schedule of intellectual mudslinging, creative sloganeering— they should consider solving the problem with proper legislation and spare some of the parliament's good time in this petty issue. [no sarcasm]

On a serious note, I would say that question paper leaks during public examinations, that has become an ordinary event in the country, this continuous malpractice will bring the education system to its knees and can have terrible results for the nation. It's better to do something as soon as possible to keep India's education system alive and kicking.

Also read: The Marvels Of Board Exams

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