Amid allegations of English subject question paper leak during the ongoing annual HSC examinations (Matric) in Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Yuva Morcha came down heavily on the Odisha government and demanded the resignation of the School and Mass Education Minister on Saturday.
The BJP Yuva Morcha warned of agitation near the minister’s residence if the latter does not resign.
Addressing a presser in Bhubaneswar, Odisha unit president of the BJP Yuva Morcha, Abhilash Panda alleged, “The question paper leak is a deep-rooted conspiracy of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and a racket of the ruling party is behind such lapses.”
He also alleged that for the last five years, incidents of question paper leaks have been happening, but no official of the School and Mass Education Department has been made answerable.
“Has any action been taken against any officials so far? This indicates that the BJD government is shielding those involved in such question paper leaks,” he observed.
Moreover, Panda pointed out that the Board of Secondary Education (BSE) Odisha introduced Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered CCTV cameras to keep an eye on all the exam and nodal centres to ward off malpractice during the Matric exams this year, but who will keep watch on the BJD leaders if they are involved in question leak.
Similarly, the Congress also lambasted the state government over AI-powered surveillance during exams.
Terming the AI system as a farce, Congress spokesperson Krushanachandra Pati told the media, “AI has become a farce. The state government is misleading the guardians by claiming transparency through AI. There is no transparency in any exam. The government is working in cahoots with a racket involved in question paper leaks.”
Pati questioned, “What steps the government has taken after the question paper leaks? Every year this is happening. Congress has been demanding transparency. The government really has no intention to conduct the examinations transparently. ”
Also Read: English question paper of Odisha Matric exam ‘leaked’ before exam, probe into allegations underway
Speaking to OTV over the phone, Nihar Ranjan Mohanty, the vice president of the Board of Secondary Education, Odisha, refuted the allegations of question paper leak.
Mohanty said, "We have no complaints in this regard from anywhere, be it Keonjhar or Mayubhanj. We heard about it the first time from you (reporter). Already 24 hours have passed after two days of examinations. Question paper viral is irrelevant. Examinations in all of the centres were smoothly conducted. Just bringing allegations about the question paper viral is not justified.”
“This is fictitious and misleading. It is not true. Such false things should not be believed,” he observed.