CUTTACK: In a bizarre incident, a Class X student was allegedly prevented from appearing for his General Science test in Urdu, which he had opted for, and compelled to write the paper in Odia, prompting his father to submit a petition to the Board of Secondary Education (BSE) in Cuttack.
Embarrassed, the BSE has ordered a probe into the incident, which took place during the ongoing annual High School Certificate (HSC) examination on Wednesday. The examinee, a student of Brahmanjharilo Nodal High School under Cuttack Sadar block, is presently appearing for the HSC examination at Laksheswar Nodal High School in Phulnakhara.
The student’s father, Mohammed Shamim, in his petition said his son had officially opted to write the three non-language subjects - General Science, Mathematics and Social Science - in Urdu medium, which was duly recorded in the board’s documents.
“However, during the General Science examination, after submitting the optical mark recognition (OMR) answer sheet, when he began writing the subjective answers in Urdu script, the invigilator forcibly stopped him. He directed him to cut the answers already written in Urdu and compelled him to write the paper in Odia instead,” Shamim stated in his petition. He also lodged a police complaint in connection with the incident.
Terming it a clear procedural irregularity and denial of the candidate’s approved examination medium, the father said the sudden compulsion caused mental stress, loss of valuable writing time and academic disadvantage to his son.“As Urdu is his mother tongue and he is comparatively weak in Odia, this forced change may affect his performance,” the petition stated.
Since the test has concluded and the answer booklet has been despatched for evaluation,Shamim requested fair and unbiased evaluation of his son’s General Science paper, considering the circumstances under which he was compelled to alter the medium.
“The Mathematics and Social Science tests are ahead. I earnestly request that necessary written directions be issued to the centre superintendent to allow my son to write his answers in Urdu script as per the approved option, without any obstruction or harassment,” Shamim stated in his petition submitted to the BSE president.
BSE president Srikant Tarai said the examinee would not be allowed to suffer any loss of marks for the fault on the part of the invigilator.
“We have taken cognisance of the matter, which will be placed before the examination committee for compensating and awarding marks to him in the General Science subject. The interest of the examinee will be protected,” said Tarai. On the day, a special squad was deputed to the examination centre to ensure the candidate writes the Social Science paper in Urdu medium, the board chief informed.
District Education Officer (DEO) Nityananda Barik said a show-cause notice has been issued to the centre superintendent to explain why and under what circumstances the student was compelled to write the paper in Odia instead of the Urdu medium he had opted for and which was approved by the board.
“A probe has begun and, after receiving the clarification, necessary action will be taken,” said Barik.