CBSE paper leak: I understand pain of students, says Javadekar
Union Minister Prakash Javadekar
The Economics question paper of class XII and Maths question paper of class X were leaked on social media hours before the examination. The Economics exam was held on March 26 and Maths on March 28
Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar on Thursday termed the CBSE examination paper leak issue “unfortunate” and said culprits would not go scot-free, a day after the board announced re-examination in a Class 10 and a Class 12 subject.
The Economics question paper of class XII and Maths question paper of class X were leaked on social media hours before the examination. The Economics exam was held on March 26 and Maths on March 28.
Students are protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar against having to sit for two of their CBSE papers again. ANI quoted the students as saying that re-exams should be either held for all papers, or for none.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will declare the date of re-examination probably on Monday or Tuesday, Javadekar said.
“This (paper leak) has been breach by the culprits and we will not let any culprit go scot-free. The police are on the job and I am very sure, they will nab the culprits as they have done in case of the SSC exam leak case. We have also instituted an internal inquiry,” Javadekar told reporters in Delhi.
Terming the incident ‘unfortunate’, Javadekar said he could “understand the pain, anguish and frustrations” of students and parents because “we are one with them”.
He also said being a parent, he could not sleep last night. “I understand the pain the parents and students have to go through... I could not sleep, I am also a parent.”
The CBSE has earned a name for “conducting good examination” and was therefore, assigned the task of conducting medical entrance examination by the Supreme Court, he said.
“We must make all efforts to ensure that this exam go really without any breach though culprits may be using newer ways and methods,” he said.
He said all efforts would be made to improve the system with the new challenges posed by the culprits and make it “fool proof”.
The Delhi Police Crime Branch on Wednesday set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged leak of the CBSE examination papers.
"We have received snapshots of the handwritten paper circulated through Whatsapp from the complainant. We are trying to ascertain the source of these messages. Since Whatsapp messages are end-to-end encrypted, we are facing a bit of difficulty in tracing the source," said an officer privy to the probe.
A total 25 people have been questioned so far.
Both the papers were leaked on WhatsApp a day before the exam. No person has been arrested so far.
"We are trying to trace the trail of paper leak. One private tutor was named by CBSE in their complaint, he has been interrogated" saidRP Upadhyay, Special CP
Also, the Congress on Thursday demanded removal of Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Chairperson in connection with the CBSE paper leak case.
Congress Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "Without removing Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and CBSE Chairperson Anita Karwal from their current positions, a fair and impartial investigation into this paper leak issue is impossible."
The Congress spokesperson also claimed that not only two papers but some more papers have also been leaked.
"Post Vyapam and SSC, now three papers of CBSE have been leaked. As per students, some more papers have also been leaked. There was an error in evaluation of Class 12 exams in 2017," Surjewala asserted.
He also questioned: why was the post of CBSE chairman left vacant for 2 years?