From the diary of a flying squad I

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From the diary of a flying squad
- Part 1 -

By: Oinam Anand *

On the last week of last month, a late night call from one of my colleague forced me to reschedule the entire plan of my routine work for the whole of March month. My friend informed me to attend a meeting at the office of Board of Secondary Education, Manipur the next day because my name was also included in the name of members of the flying squad to visit the examination centres of the HSLC 2006.

As it was a matter of examination, I did not fail to attend the meeting and thus became a member of one of the squad.

Altogether sixteen flying squads are being engaged with four members in a squad to inspect the 86 examination centres in the State. Each group has one group leader and three members including at least one lady teacher. Some groups have two lady tea-chers.

I was included in the last squad, the group P. Shri Th Ibopishak Singh, Senior Lecturer CC Hr Sec School, the President of teachers' association, FECTA is the leader of our squad. The other members are Smt Kanan Devi of Bengali H/s and Kh Premo Singh of Kom Keirap H/S and myself.

We were informed to report for duty at 7 am of 2nd March, the first day of the examination. The name of the centre to which a team had to inspect on a particular day was made known only at the time of departure. But later on a member can guess the distance of the examination centre from Imphal by reading the time of reporting at the Board's Office. Earlier the time of reporting means the squad has a longer distance to cover to reach the examination centre.

The first destination for our group was Saikul, some 40 kms from Imphal in Imphal-Sagolmang road. As the label 'HSLC Exam Duty' patched at the front mirror of the Maruti Van showed its purpose, the security check posts on the way had to make our way without any formal checks.

But the road that laid parallel to the Iril river almost all the entire journey checked the speed of the Maruti van. The road seemed to have no mercy for us. Potholes here, speed breakers there, cracks and dust everywhere flickering an idle and searing tongue of wind across the dusty road. At last after about ninety minutes drive, the van stopped at the gate of the Model Hr Sec School, Saikul.

The first impression of the first day was very good. We were welcomed by the heap of ashes and half-burnt books which showed that candidates were thoroughly frisked before they entered the gate. When we stepped into the campus we were welcomed by the smiling face of OC of the centre and other members of the examination committee. Then we were introduced to every room by the OC.

First warning is a must for the squad and as a routine duty our leader appealed to the students not to use unfair means during the examination and to surrender anything (if any) which were not allowed to be possessed by a candidate during examination hours. Some initial hiccups happened in a room due to the misunderstanding of an invigilator who had thought that the flying squad had encroached upon his right while performing his duty.

When our leader clarified the matter and explained the power and authority under which we were there, the misunderstandings were evaporated and there were a cordial atmosphere again. Two students were found using unfair means and were expelled on that day.

The next day, the next destination was Nambol centre-C, Utlou Model High School. We reached there some minutes earlier and waited outside while the candidates were frisked at the gate. The examination went on very smoothly. Not a single student winked at each other. There I was personally drawn into a scene and involved myself in a very pathetic situation.

While I was in the verandah of Room 3, a student volunteer of a students' organisation, assuming me as a member of the examination centre pointed his finger to a candidate in the room who was not wearing his school uniform. When I disclosed my identity he went away as if to bring the matter of the notice of the OC. At the same time I entered the room and asked the student the reason why he did not put on school uniform.

The student became red on his face and I could see it visibly operate in his eyes also with some drops of tears hidden behind his eyelids, ready to fall even at the slightest, puff of breeze. He told me that he had recently lost his father and he had not enough money to buy a new pant for the examination. On further examination, I found the student wearing a torn slipper instead of a shoe.

I lost myself for a while and the father in me tells me that I should help him even for a small measure. I gave him fifty rupees telling him to buy at least some exercise books that the paltry amount was not enough for him to buy a pant. The misery painted at the boy's face was not lost from my memory even to-day and I felt solace at the thought that I have done something by helping him (no credit for this, please).

On the third day of our duty, that in on 6th March our squad was enforced to proceed to Ukhrul centre-B, Savio High School. It was my second visit to Ukhrul after a gap of about thirty years.

The greenery which once covered the hills had given way to the greedy hands of man and there were concrete buildings in the entire hilltop of Ukhrul. If I were there for other assignments then, I would lost some moment of my life in the beauty of the surroundings. But our mission did not permit for that moment and we clung to other duties. We warned the students not to use unfair means and went to the extent of checking the candidates physically.

At the close of the examination hours, while we were about to be picked up by the waiting van, the OC of the centre came out of his room and told us that the executive body of Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS), a students' body had come and wanted to meet us. We went into the room and found some 5/6 members of the TKS.

After formal introduction with each other, Mr Worthington Mahung, President of TKS had expressed his view on the ongoing examination, their drive to cleanse the examination as done by the student bodies in the valley and their desire to impart quality education in the hills also.

We listened and appreciated their effort. But at the same time (it may be due to misinformation) the students' body had a strong resentment over the manner of the flying squad. In their view, the warning and frisking of the candidates in the examination hour creates undue delay and fear psychosis to the students.

I had imagined that they wanted to score a point on this matter. They even indirectly expressed that the flying squad had done something wrong. Here our leader had shown the quality of a leader and explained everything to them. Good sense prevailed amongst ourselves and the meeting ended in a happy note.

When we moved back, the sitting sun on the western hill gazed upon us as if reminding us that you would be late to reach Imphal, we bade adieu to our lovely Ukhrul.

| Read Part II here | Read Part III here |

Oinam Anand wrote this article for The Sangai Express
This article was webcasted on March 28th, 2006

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