Students denied access to answer scripts
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 27 2019: Even as the Supreme Court had passed a judgement stating that answer scripts should be made accessible if any student demands the same, examination authorities in the State have been dodging students' applications' access their own answer scripts.

Meanwhile CBSE has allowed students to seek re-evaluation of their answer scripts if they are not satisfied with the marks given to them.

However, no examination authority in the State has given permission for re-evaluation of answer scripts.

Given these developments, many quarters have started questioning the authorities' reluctance to make examination process transparent.

A student who appeared in the HSE 2019 conducted by CoHSEM filed an RTI application to give him a copy each of his theory answer scripts of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Manipuri and English subjects along with the answer keys.

The student also sought a copy of the rules and regulations of re-evaluation and re-examination of answer scripts.

The RTI application was submitted to the CoHSEM Secretary/SPIO on May 13.CoHSEM Secretary Ch Biren sent a reply to the applicant on May 24.Citing resolution no 3.1 of a CoHSEM meeting held on May 8, the Secretary informed the applicant that students can apply for re-checking of answer scripts in a given format by paying Rs 1200 for each subject.

In connection with a writ petition case of 2011, the Supreme Court passed a judgement stating that copies of answer scripts should be made available to students if they seek such copies.

Article 2.5 of UGC's Guidelines for Students Entitlement says that copies of answer scripts should be made available to students after results of examinations have been declared.

CBSE too has made it clear that students can apply for access to their answer scripts, verification, as well as re-evaluation by paying specified fees.

However, in Manipur, all examination authorities including CoHSEM have been always trying to dodge applications for access to copies of answer scripts on one pretext or another.

Even though students are allowed to re-check their answer scripts, they are not yet given the opportunity of re-evaluation.

Re-checking is basically about checking whether there is any mistake in the addition of marks scored by a student and it does not have any scope for re-evaluation of answer scripts.

It is matter of grave concern that examination authorities in the State have not been complying with the Supreme Court's order and the UGC guidelines, and this is something which demands immediate attention of the Government, said some parents.

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