DESAM demands probe report
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 01 2018: The Democratic Students Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) has expressed deep contempt against the stoic silence maintained by the Government even though it has been almost one week since the enquiry committee which has been probing alleged reduction of marks scored by some students in the HSLC Exam 2018 conducted by BOSEM submitted a portion of its report to the Government.

DESAM has urged the Government to ensure that the enquiry report is made accessible to public within 10 days and befitting action should be initiated against all those found guilty.

Speaking to media persons at their Sagolband Meino Leirak office this afternoon, DESAM vice-president Nameirakpam Edison remarked that copies of answer scripts provided by BOSEM in response to RTI applications filed by some candidates of HSLC Exam 2018 showed signs of reduction of marks by examiners and the head examiner as well as negligence on the part of BOSEM.

Subsequent upon this outrageous revelation, the Government issued an order on July 15 whereby an enquiry committee comprising of three members was setup.

Even though the committee submitted a section of its report to the Government on August 24, the Government has not disclosed anything about the enquiry report to public.

This is a matter of grave concern, Edison said.

During interaction with DESAM, some people who gave statements to the enquiry committee said they expressed strong suspicion about mark tampering.

As far as DESAM knows, there are strong possibilities of mark tamperings by examiners and the head examiner.

As such, the Government must disclose the enquiry report to the public within 10 days and befitting action should be initiated against all those found guilty, Edison said.

Notably, Archana Hijam of Catholic School Canchipur who was placed at the fourth position of the merit list filed an RTI application seeking copies of her answer scripts.

Assessment of the answer scripts provided by BOSEM to Archana's teachers and subject experts allegedly found that she was given four marks lesser in both English and Science.

Subsequently DESAM demanded re-evaluation of answer scripts of all candidates who were placed in the first to 25th positions of the merit list.

Archana was given 569 marks in total and her total mark is lesser than the total mark scored by the candidate who secured the first position by just four marks.

If it is true that Archana was given eight marks lesser than she actually scored, she would certainly outscore the topper when eight marks are added to her total mark which means she would be the topper of HSLC Exam 2018 .

Census Operation Manipur Director M Harekrishna, Education (S) Additional Director Dr T Geetchandra and retired MCS officer W Chandrakumar are chairman, member secretary and member of the enquiry committee respectively.

Harekrishna submitted Part A of the enquiry report which covered the first two terms of reference to Education (S) Commissioner H Deleep on August 24.The first two terms of reference of the enquiry are investigation into allegation of reduction of marks of certain.

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