BHUBANESWAR: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has come down heavily on the Board of Secondary Education (BSE) for sparing a Centre Superintendent because of whose negligence a physically challenged student’s result was declared as ‘malpractice’ in the High School Certificate (HSC) examination last year.
The Board has been asked to explain why no action has been initiated against the errant official and directed to submit an action taken report within six weeks.
Acting on a petition filed by rights campaigner Subash Mohapatra of Global Human Rights Communications, the Commission sought to know if the Government has considered offering any compensation to the student.
As per an inquiry report submitted by the School and Mass Education department, result of the victim, a physically disabled student, was published as malpractice though there was no report of him resorting to such illegal act during examination or by the Centre Superintendent.
The report found that due to negligence of Centre Superintendent SK Rath of Durga Devi BNT Bidyapitha in Bangarsingha of Cuttack, the roll number of the victim was erroneously included in the malpractice list. Subsequently though, the student was declared ‘pass’ in B-1 Grade by securing 465 marks.
The NHRC observed that responsibility for the mistake can be squarely fixed on Rath while BSE must take the blame for its negligence too.
The rights panel said the Government report is silent on the action taken against Rath and payment of compensation to the victim since negligence has already been established.
“Secretary of BSE, Cuttack, is directed to submit the action taken report against the Centre Superintendent at the earliest. He is also directed to submit whether any compensation has been proposed to be given to the victim for the negligence caused by Rath,” the Commission directed.
While welcoming the NHRC’s order, the petitioner has requested Odisha Government to pay compensation to the student.