CUTTACK: A goof-up in the question papers of social science subjects in the High School Certificate (HSC) examinations left the Board of Secondary Education (BSE) red-faced while causing serious worry for the students on Saturday.
The students appearing in the HSC Summative Assessment-2 were left confused after finding the erroneous question papers. The exams are being conducted in 3,218 centres across the state.
The students alleged that there were several questions from Set A in Set B question paper. Besides, question no 19 was also missing from set B. As a result, the students only attempted 49 questions.
The board provides different sets of question papers classified as ‘Sets’ to students to avoid malpractice in the exams.
“Out of the total 50 questions, question no 19 was missing while as many as 11 questions from Set A were in Set B booklet. I got confused and didn’t know what to do,” said a student.
BSE president Ramasish Hazra admitted to the errors in question papers and assured examinees not to be worried as the board would take care of it.
“We have received complaints from some examination centres and are aware of the errors. There are some printing and binding mistakes in some question paper booklets of Set B. The students need not worry as they will not be affected by the mistake,” said Hazra adding that the board would consider it and take appropriate steps.
Superintendents of all the examination centres have been asked to provide a list of students who received the erroneous question set while appearing for the social science exam, he added.
“We have also detected the printing and binding error and will take necessary action to check such reoccurrence in future,” said Hazra.
Meanwhile, parents and guardians of the students blamed the gross irresponsibility on the part of BSE officials for such an error.