BOSE cancels exam as class 12th students receive class 11th question papers

Srinagar, Mar 20: The class 12th students appearing in the examination of Physical Education subject were handed over the question paper of class 11th in the examination halls, wrongly set, packed, and sealed by the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (BOSE), leaving students high and dry.

The move has raised questions over the BOSE’s failure to maintain the sanctity of the examination and playing with the career of the students.

Soon after receiving the question paper, the class 12th students made a hue and cry over the lapse which forced the BOSE to cancel the class 12th examination of Physical Education subject scheduled on March 20.

“It is hereby notified that the examination of class 12th Physical Education subject which was held on March 20, 2024, for soft zone areas has been cancelled. However, the new date for the examination of this paper will be notified separately,” reads a notification issued by Director Academics BOSE, Sudhir Singh.

Earlier, Joint Secretary Examination, BOSE, Lal Hussain told Greater Kashmir that all the superintendents were asked to collect the answer books and question papers of Physical Education from the students.

“The superintendents will make a separate packet and deposit the same in the sealed packet and hand over the same to the concerned board office,” he said. However, an official said that the packets of the question papers deposited by the BOSE in police stations were marked as class 12th papers of Physical Education.

“The issue of deposition and distribution of wrong question papers were reported in examination centres across J&K,” Hussain said.

He said that a probe would be undertaken to ascertain how wrong question papers were packed.
However, the class 12th students who appeared in the examination accused the BOSE authorities of wasting their time by setting up “out of syllabus” question papers.

The moment we received the question paper we found that all the questions were from what we studied in class 11th. We studied the fundamentals of cricket in class 12th but the question was about the fundamentals of handball which we studied in class 11th, said a female student after coming out of the exam hall.

The students said they were taken aback at seeing the entire question paper out of the syllabus but were convinced by the teachers on examination duty to attempt a few questions. But in the meantime, they forwarded our message to the BOSE authorities after which the examination was cancelled and our answer script and question paper was taken back, another student said.
The students said that the lapse on the part of the BOSE authorities subjected them to mental stress inside exam halls.

“We tried to finish writing our exams but such lapses on the part of BOSE extend it due to which our time gets wasted. We urge the BOSE officials to schedule a reexamination of this paper as early as possible, the students said.

An official said that class 12th was written on the top of the question paper received by the students in the exam hall which raises questions over the board’s procedures.
“Every institution in the government sector is on the path of reformation but BOSE is still repeating its past mistakes. This is the only institution which hires retired teachers or lecturers to set question papers and evaluate answer scripts,” the official said.

He said that as per procedures, the BOSE sets more than one question paper for every class and selects one out of the three or five question papers set by the panel. “The expert panel compiles more than one question paper. They select one out of these and after that, the paper goes for
printing. However, given the incident which happened today, it seems the BOSE officials have not seen the sample of the question paper or have wrongly selected and sealed the question paper,” said a lecturer wishing not to be named.

Amid massive criticism over the wrong distribution of the question paper among the students, the School Education Department (SED) constituted a committee to probe the wrong distribution of the question paper among the class 12th students in exam halls
across J&K.

As per the order issued by Administrative Secretary SED, Piyush Singla, the committee comprises the Directors of School Education (DSE) of Kashmir and Jammu divisions.

The ToR of the committee will be to inquire into the incident of wrong distribution of class 11th question paper to class 12th students who appeared in the board exam on March 20, 2024," the order reads.

As per the order, the committee would look into the circumstances of the cancellation of the examination and fix the responsibility for negligence at the supervisory or administrative level.
“The committee shall co-opt with the Chief Education Officer (as required) or other officer and submit its findings to the Administrative Department within seven days,” the order reads.