Imphal, July 17: The controversy surrounding the wrong questions asked in the Maths paper in the HSSLC examination 2002 seems to have been shelved for the moment with the SPF Government and the MSF reaching a temporary agreement on the matter today.

Two major student organisations of the State have been at the forefront advocating opposing method to compensate the students for the wrong questions asked.

The matter came up for hectic debate, on the floor of the House during the morning session with Thanga MLA S Ibohal moving a call attention motion.

IFC Minister N Mangi played the rescue act when School Education Minister Dr Maniruddin Sheikh was caught on the wrong foot when the MLA hurled a barrage of questions at him.

Mangi who gave his statement on behalf of Chief Minister O Ibobi in the latter's absence broke the news of the agreement reached between the Government and the MSF.

The term of the deal include keeping in abeyance the Government order for cancelling the special improvement examination in Mathematics subject and settling the matter when O Ibobi returns from Mumbai.

He said the MSF has agreed to suspend its agitations including shutting down of the Council of Higher Secondary Education Manipur until a final agreement is worked out.

The Chief Minister, Mangi himself, Arts and Culture Minister Dr M Nara, PHE Minister K Govindas, IGP Das and Imphal West SP Dinokumar attended the meeting with the student body.

Ibobi assured the MSF member that fitting action will be taken up against those responsible for setting the wrong questions, the IFC Minister added.

Earlier, moving the call attention motion, Ibohal said it will not be justified to rescind the Government order for holding the improvement examination.

It was also wrong for the Council to reject the recommendation of the expert committee to allot grace marks to the candidates.

Charging that the Education (S) Minister and the Education Dept have worked themselves to a spot between the two student groups, he took a dig at Maniruddin telling him to divide the council into two and hand over each half to the student groups.

It will be better if he (Minister) functions over the new arrangement, he added.

Questioning how the Government intends to solve the problem, Ibohal said the students stand to lose their academic career in the prevailing situation.

He also asked whether the Minister will quit on moral grounds.

The Opposition MLA further said that it is shocking that the unsavory development should come about even while the memory of the shooting of the Council's Secretary for allegedly bribing his way to the post is still fresh in the mind of the people.

The Minister admitted his failings and promised to take full responsibility for any eventuality.

He however said a situation has arisen where all the students will not be able to receive the opportunity of the improvement examination as only 1300 out of 12,364 students applied for it.

Dissatisfied with the Minister's reply, the Opposition MLA said he desires an immediate solution to the controversy.

As the matter has gone out of the Government's hands, the Minister should go to the student groups separately and present his case, he quipped.

When Maniruddin informed the House that a meeting between the Government and the MSF was scheduled today, Ibohal questioned why he (Minister) did not attend the meeting instead of coming to the House.

The motion could have been delayed if there was any such meeting, he added.

As Maniruddin was searching for words, Mangi stood up and gave the news of the deal.

This is the second time Maniruddin was caught on the wrong foot in the Assembly.