Bhubaneswar: After reports of question paper leak on the first day of the annual High School Certificate (HSC) examinations, serious lapses were again reported from some examination centres across Odisha on Saturday.
During the English paper examination, police had a faceoff with some guardians who were allegedly helping students in malpractice at Biribolei Janata Government High School in Dhenkanal district.
When the examination was underway, some students were seen coming out of the Centre on the pretext of relieving themselves when their guardians and friends allegedly handed over cheat papers to them. Though police personnel engaged at the centre were seen chasing away the guardians, they again entered the school campus after a quick interval.
Ayush Khuntia, a student appearing for the examination at the centre said, “Some people scaled the boundary wall and supplied cheat papers to students. If the examination gets cancelled, those like me who are not using any unfair means will suffer a lot. Our future will be destroyed.”
When asked, Ajay Kumar Patra, BEO of Kamakhyanagar said, “We do not have any information in this regard and came to know about it after watching TV. Now we are waiting for the reports of the centre superintendent and observers appointed by district administration and action will be taken on the basis of the reports.”
In another incident, a guardian of a girl student was allegedly thrashed by police personnel for allegedly supplying cheat papers during the examination at Gadapalasuni Bapuji Vidyapeeth in Dhenkanal district. However, the guardian, Dambaru Sahoo, denied any wrongdoing.
“I don’t have courage to provide cheat papers. I was just sitting there, but cops started to beat me,” he alleged.
Similarly, guardians of some students at Manaipada Tribal School in Bolangir allegedly thrashed a journalist.
According to sources, the journalist, Lalit Mallick was reportedly trying to capture pictures of some guardians entering the examination centre when he was attacked. Later, he was rescued by police and was admitted to hospital.
A person identified as Raja Patra was caught by centre invigilator at Kanak Durga High School in Puri while he was appearing for the examination on behalf of another student identified as Soumya Ranjan Sahoo.
Speaking about the lapses, School and Mass Education Minister Sameer Dash said, “The district administrations will take action against those who climbed up boundary walls and helped students in malpractice. Besides, a case has been registered by police in connection with the fake examinee in Puri.”