SSLC board still not clear on question paper mix-up impact
Bengaluru: The Karnataka Secondary Education and Examination Board (KSEEB) still does not have the complete list of centres and students affected by the goof-up by invigilators and supervisors while distributing SSLC question papers on the first day of the exams on March 23.
Last Friday, supervisors and invigilators distributed wrong question papers to students writing the first language Kannada for freshers and repeaters. By the time the examiners realised the error, it was too late. Wherever the error was detected, supervisors asked students to come back later in the afternoon to write the exam from 3 pm to 6 pm. According to preliminary information obtained by KSEEB, the error was reported at least in 30 centres in the state, five of which are in Bengaluru.
Sources say supervisors and invigilators are hushing up the issue to escape action.
V Sumangala, director, KSEEB (Examination) on Monday admitted that she did not have complete details. She told DH that the error occurred because of “negligence of invigilators”.
“Erring invigilators will face suspension as and when we receive details,” she said.
Interestingly, the director and members of the KSEEB held a meeting on Sunday with invigilators and supervisors and other officials.
But not a word was discussed about the distribution of the wrong question paper. Instead, directions were issued to all those who attended the meeting to be “cautious and pay more attention in future”.
“It is late, but I have sought details. It is possible that many students could have written the wrong exam and invigilators may not have noted it. So far, I have suspended five officials from Bengaluru, one from Dharwad and one from Dakshina Kannada,” she said.
While Ashwath Narayan Gowda, DDPI, Bengaluru South, said the error was reported in three centres in his jurisdiction, North Bengaluru DDPI Abdul Wajid Khaji had no details.
An examiner, seeking anonymity, said repeaters and freshers were seated in the last room of each centre.
Invigilators failed to check the hall tickets before allotting question papers.