Exams cancelled as students given mixed question papers

Exams for Kashmiri and Urdu for grade 6 students was cancelled in Baramulla district on Sunday after students appearing in the term second for Kashmiri subject were handed over question papers with a mix of questions from both the subjects.

As the examination for the Kashmiri subject started, the students made hue and cry over the flawed question paper following which the concerned authorities asked the students to attempt questions from Kashmiri subject only.

   

“Today’s (Kashmiri) paper had three pages out of which one leaf had questions from Urdu subject while as two pages had questions from Kashmiri subject,” said a staff member at an examination center in the district. Chief education officer (CEO) Baramulla, Abdul Ahad who is also holding additional charge of DIET Principal Baramulla, ordered cancellation of question papers of both Kashmiri and Urdu.

“Today’s Kashmiri paper stands cancelled due to some technical errors. It is to avoid any confusion in attempting questions from Urdu and Kashmiri. The examination staff should deposit the question papers in DIET office, Sopore,” Ahad ordered the examination staff in all the exam centres.

Besides distribution of the bilingual question paper to students, the paper setter of Kashmiri subject had also posed a flawed question (number 8) in the paper which earlier triggered confusion among the students.

“It was a ‘match the following’ question but students were not able to attempt it as the options given in the question were not correct,” said a student. The exams for 5th to 7th grade students commenced from Thursday for which the question papers are set by the respective DIET authorities.

Now, the Urdu paper which was slated for Monday has also been postponed in wake of leakage of some questions which were mixed with the question paper of Kashmiri subject.

“The exams for both the subjects will be held later,” CEO Baramulla said.

He however passed the buck to State Institute of Education (SIE) for making the error in the question paper.

“We (DIET) send question paper to SIE for printing and receive stitched packs from them. We didn’t know what was printed because we don’t open the pack before the exams because it remains confidential,” Ahad said.

On the first day of the exams, the DIET institute Ganderbal was exposed for setting up flawed English question paper for 5th and 7th grade students.

Mehboob Hussain, the SIE Principal however put the blame on printing agency and said they (SIE) send the papers for printing and receive sealed packs which are sent to respective DIETs. 

“But I will inquire into the matter and whosoever will be found guilty will penalized,” Hussain said.

Director school education Kashmir (DSEK), G N Itoo said an inquiry was ongoing into the matter. “Joint director north Kashmir has been appointed as inquiry office and asked to submit report within a stipulated time,” Itoo said.

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