NGOs knock rights panel’s door on MP board exam centres

Two social organizations in Madhya Pradesh have approached the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and the State Human Rights Commission to direct the state board not to allot exam centres to board students other than their schools, Guardians Guild president Zamiruddin said on Wednesday.

The examinations of Class 10 and Class 12 are held in March every year. However, the state board follows the changed centre system which puts students to a lot of inconvenience and affects their performance, social organizations, Guardian Guild and Citizens Forum of Bhopal’s office-bearers said.

The organizations had submitted a written plea with the two bodies on Saturday. A notice in this respect would also be served on the CBSE and the MP Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE), office-bearers said.

Guardians’ Guild president and member of the forum Zamiruddin said, “Regular students of a school are not allowed to take their school as the examination centre on the plea that they may be unfairly assisted by the teachers. It is like presuming that all the 18 lakh students and their teachers are cheats and cannot be trusted. This is a criminal breach of human rights.”

Former high commissioner to Fiji and member of the forum IS Chauhan said, “The change in the centres during the board exams puts extra burden on the students. It also affects their performance. This is more a punishment than an arrangement. The board should rely on flying squads and school administration rather than allotting students exam centres other than their schools.”

A school principal admitted that changing centres was a bad practice. “For students, it is a trauma as they have to cover long distances to take their exams,” he said.

Forum convener Harish Bhavnani said before serving the notice, they would first write a letter to both the boards in this respect. “If they don’t initiate anything to stop this practise, we will take this issue to MHRD,” he added.

Sahodaya Group of CBSE’s Schools president PS Kalra said, “It is not possible for all the schools to conduct examination on their campus. Lack of resources with the schools is another reason for off-school examination centres.”

MP Board exams: 663 centres declared ‘sensitive’

The Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education has released the list of sensitive and extremely sensitive centres on Wednesday. The number of these centres has been significantly increased from last year.

The board has declared 663 centres sensitive in 2016, adding 249 to the 2015 list.

“This time the number of students has increased and that’s why there are higher number of centres which need better security,” said SK Chourasia, Public Relations Officer, MPBSE

The Board also said that extra police force would be appointed at such centres.

Secretary General MPBSE, Dhananjay Singh added, “I have written a letter to all district collectors saying that this year sensitive and extremely sensitive centres have to be videographed as we want the examination to conclude in a fair and just manner. “

This year is going to be challenging for MPBSE as nearly 20 lakh students will appear for board examination across the state.

This would be first time in the history of MP Board that such a huge number of students will appear for the boards.

There would be 3835 centres to conduct the examination. About 12,28,000 will appear for class 10th boards while 7, 71,000 will appear for 12th boards.