CBSC paper leak lessons

I have been working in different capacities in the Jammu & Kashmir Board of School Education. Never have I seen any organisation vilified as much as this has been.  There is a tendency among citizens, including the netizens who use social media to criticize the organisation even over a very small error. Majority of the stakeholders believe that the JKBOSE is an organisation which is not able to deliver as expected and is not performing remarkably well. They believe that the Board is not as `perfect’ as Central Board of School Education and other Boards outside J&K. Every allegation thrown at the organisation is combined with this chaff as to how the “Central Board of School Education” is a much better, systematic organisation which has over the years improved in functioning and has been hailed and praised around the country. The “promoters” of CBSE education including the stakeholders of the state routinely come up with this line that the JKBOSE needs to inculcate the “best practices” of the Central organisation and shun its archaic, colonial attitude to provide quality education. They insist sometimes for getting freedom from the affiliation of JKBOSE so that they could move to the so called green pasture of CBSE. But nature has its own way of answering. The recent leakage of Class 10th and 12th examination papers has blown the “CBSE superiority theory” into pieces. It has shown how the central organisation is vulnerable to leakages and how over the period of time the organisation has done nothing to upgrade its systems and encrypt data. The paper leakage scam is an issue that has clearly signified as to how the “top brass” was caught completely unaware when the papers were being circulated by the agents and  criminals involved in this mind boggling venture.  

The students across India have been clamouring that the CBSE has destroyed their academic careers. The Central Government has taken a serious note and has asked prominent investigating agencies to come up with the factual report so that the involved culprits could be exposed and punished accordingly. The paper leak has proved that no organization is perfect and therefore, who belittle JKBOSE, their own organization, precious Educational Asset of the State of Jammu and Kashmir need to understand this reality. In comparison to CBSE, as seen over the past few years JKBOSE takes immense care and fixes responsibility related to sensitive matters. The “perception” in the air may be that the JKBOSE leaks papers but over the period of time not a single allegation has stood the “test of law”. There is a detailed and secure communication process that guards the question papers and any loophole if identified is plugged at the earliest. The “printing of the question papers”, there “sealing”, there “dispatch” is guarded and monitored at the highest level and do receive the highest priority. 

   

It is seen as uncompromising and unbendable and the fact that the career progression of hundreds of students is involved makes this process even more sensitive. The objective here is not to present an unrealistic picture of the organisation but to present a “rebuttal” to all those who go with this notion of terming JKBOSE as a “dysfunctional” organisation occupied by indolent people. Not only is the JKBOSE continuously monitoring every function it has been assigned to perform, at the same time it has taken a number of measures to upgrade its systems.

The organization has developed the functioning and working on IT Interventions. It has introduced Mobile Technology for the declaration of results through SMS and Voice mail. It has introduced temper proof plastic coated envelopes for packing of question papers to avoid any tampering/leakage of question papers. In order to maintain the sanctity of Board examinations, the confidential material of various examinations are being kept in concerned Police Stations / Police Posts, where the concerned Superintendent of Examination centre collects the sealed packet of Question papers on daily basis for the conduct of examination as per date sheet. Appointment of supervisory Staff for the conduct of various Examinations is made on the basis of principle of non-repetition.

It has developed Marks Cards on the inter-Net/Web site for re-evaluation purpose. Developed new system of Registration of Students with a single Alpha- Numeric system identifying Class, Year, District, School and School admission number.  The organisation has introduced  new computerised registration forms containing the features like complete information about the candidates. It has introduced computerised pre-filled Admission-cum-Permission – cum examination forms for all public examinations in place of manual Admission-cum-Permission forms which reduces the chances of corrections, mutilations and overwritings in the particluars  like Name, Parentage and DoB etc.  Introduced Single Paper System with three different Series in 10th and 12th class Examinations with new pattern of questions to evaluate the students in better manner having long, short, very short and objective type answers. 15 minutes time in addition to 3 hours for reading of question papers has also been provided to the students for going through the question paper and setting their mind accordingly. Introduced Grading System with 9 point Grading Scale in 10th class examinations. Online Submission of Application forms and Fee for  Re-evaluation and Xerox copies.  (The JKBOSE is one of the few Boards of the country which provides Xerox copies of answer sheets to let the canditates know mistakes in evaluation if any).  Online declaration of Results of Centrally Sponsored Schemes viz National Means Cum Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMS), National Talent Search Examination(NTSE), Centre Sector Scheme of Scholarship (CSSS). 

It has introduced issuance of Diploma Certificates along with the Migration certificate to the successful candidates of 10th and 12th Classes within fifteen days after the  date of declaration of Results.   The Online verification, Digi Locker system, Affiliation of Institutes/ Schools, Audit of Website are shortly going to be  introduced.

All need to know the facts.  

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