BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) on Monday directed the Board of Secondary Education (BSE) not to proceed with the offline High School Certificate (HSC) examination of 139 differently-abled students which was scheduled to begin from July 30.
Results of these students of nine schools - managed by NGOs and the Red Cross Society with 100 per cent grant-in-aid from the Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Department (SSEPD) - was withheld this year by the BSE on the ground that their schools are not affiliated to it. Although the matter was taken up by the OHRC on July 3 and it sought a report from both BSE and SSEPD by July 22, the Board asked them to appear for the offline HSC examination.
Acting on a petition filed by NHRC core committee member and chairperson of Human Rights Front Manoj Jena, the Commission asked the BSE not to hold the examination till the next hearing on August 6. Jena informed the OHRC that without waiting for its final order on the issue, the BSE decided to conduct an offline examination for these students. He said that the decision was not only arbitrary but also intended to put the differently-abled students in utter difficulty during the Covid-19 situation.
Surprised over the unjustified decision, the Commission questioned that if results of lakhs of general students were announced based on marks secured in Class IX and X final exams, why is the Board insisting on offline examination for differently-abled students. It further said that if anything untoward happens in the matter affecting the interest of the differently-abled students, it shall be the sole responsibility of the BSE.