Earlier this week, CBSE announced that the class 12 Economics paper and the class 10 Maths paper will be conducted again, owing to the leaks which have created a massive furore among students and parents alike. Even Prime Minister Modi was reportedly upset about this news.
Even though a paper leak is nothing new in India, and many other papers have been leaked before (like the SSC exam paper), this matter should be a massive cause for concern. It seems as if there is a ‘paper mafia’ which is working at belittling the system and honest students who work hard all the year round, and yet have to undergo this mammoth trauma of giving their exams again.
Meanwhile, the government instead of acting, is shielding the CBSE chief, Ms Anita Karwal. Prakash Javadekar, the Union HRD Minister, said: “Give me innovative solutions to deal with it.”
With all due respect, Mr Minister, as CBSE comes under your jurisdiction, you can do much more than just offering lip service. Education is your portfolio, and you have taken an oath to serve the people of this country. What is even more shameless is that the CBSE chief says “Kids, all is well!”
No, Ms Karwal, nothing is well. In fact, it’s rotten – and we need action, not just statements of apathy which only ridicule the faith of the students. About 2.5 million students have been affected due to this decision and have had to cancel their post-exam plans. They will now have to prepare for an exam again, which they have already given. Why should they give the exam because of the fault of a few? Punish these people; why punish all the students?
Two things are missing in this country – ‘education’ and ‘system’, as a protester’s banner clearly showed, this week. While I completely agree to this, I can only offer condolences, as I have also experienced this system, myself. The system changes almost every year, which leads to further questions on whether education in this country is a hostage to politics, with almost every education institution under siege due to the ineptness and an inadequate redressal or control mechanism.
I hope that the CBSE and the government is listening. I hope that they do everything to repose the faith of the people in the system. It’s high time that they acted.