Puri: Kicking off the uniform exam system across Odisha for students from Class 1 to Class 8, the Mass Education department had directed all district programme coordinators to ensure that all students attend half-yearly and annual examinations in schools. The significant move which saw implementation from today, has however, posted gross mismanagement in the department. Revealing the poor standard of education system in Odisha, a teacher was seen writing questions on the blackboard reportedly after question papers fell short of requirement at Pitabash UGME School in Pipili of Puri district.
Reportedly, the half-yearly examinations began today and students of Class VI had their History paper. While 18 students of Class VI had come to appear in the examination today, everyone including the authorities was left perplexed after they came to know that only 10 question papers have been supplied to the Pitabash UGME School.
Finding no other option, a teacher immediately started writing all the questions on the blackboard, and all the students penned their answers after she finished.
In a similar incident in Puri, Class VII students of Dandamukundapur High School in Pipili area who had their Geography exam today were allegedly given History question papers which were reportedly meant for Class VI students. However, the school authorities replaced the question papers within 10 minutes after a complaint by the students.
Several schools in Bhogarai, Jaleswar, Basta and Baliapal blocks of Balasore district too alleged that they did not receive any question paper for the half-yearly exams. While some teachers dictated questions to the students, teachers in other schools made photocopies and distributed them to the children.
Cluster resource centre coordinator (CRCC) of Bhogarai, Anita Das said, "While Geography question papers were available as per requirement, one sample paper of History was provided to every school. Teachers would write the questions on blackboard and students will be provided with answer sheets."
Meanwhile, acknowledging that there were lapses on part of the department on the very first day of half-yearly exams, School & Mass Education Minister Samir Dash said, "This is for the first time that we are conducting exams simultaneously across all schools. By next year, things will fall in place."
It is pertinent to mention here that students from Class I-Class VIII in all government schools including the government-aided ones will have same set of question papers from today while the examination timings would also remain the same. The decision was taken keeping in view uniformity in the level of competition.