Maharashtra Education Board Investigation Confirms Std VI Students Handled Std X Exam Papers
A two-member committee appointed by the Kolhapur division of the Maharashtra State Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board has concluded its investigation into a viral social media video. The probe confirmed that allegations regarding Std VI students from a school in Vidni village, Phaltan tehsil, handling Std X Marathi board exam answer sheets were partially true.
Committee Findings and Teacher Violation
The investigative panel visited the school on Friday and determined that the students seen in the video were indeed from Std VI. However, the committee clarified that these students were not evaluating the answer sheets but were instead drawing red margin lines on blank sections of the Std X Marathi language paper answer sheets. This activity was conducted under the instruction of the teacher, identified as Vaibhav Shende.
Rajesh Kshirsagar, chairman of the Kolhapur division, stated, "We have found the teacher, Vaibhav Shende, guilty of violating the confidentiality rule of exam paper evaluation. As a consequence, we have decided to freeze the honorarium to be paid to him for checking 125 board papers for the Marathi subject. Additionally, we have formally written to the school administration to take appropriate disciplinary action against him."
Seizure and Re-evaluation of Answer Sheets
Board officials have taken custody of all the affected answer sheets to ensure the integrity of the examination process. These papers will be re-evaluated by subject experts to guarantee that no student suffers any adverse effects due to this incident. The Std X Marathi language exam was conducted on February 20, and the answer sheets had been dispatched to the designated evaluator's school as per standard procedure.
One senior official elaborated, "The teacher admitted that he asked Std VI girls to draw red lines on the answer sheets to expedite his work. The evaluation was completed, and the papers were subsequently handed over to the moderator. However, the board has now seized all answer sheets, which will undergo a fresh reassessment to confirm that no answers were incorrectly marked."
Investigation Details and Background
The board's investigative team, comprising a serving and a retired grade-2 officer, meticulously recorded statements from the Marathi teacher and the girl students involved. They also collected crucial CCTV footage from February 26, the day the video was recorded. Preliminary inquiries by the Satara education department had already indicated similar findings, aligning with the committee's conclusions.
According to officials, the footage was allegedly filmed by a school peon who was dissatisfied after not being appointed as a clerk. This incident highlights a breach of board rules, which mandate that evaluators must check papers within school premises during school hours and are strictly prohibited from taking them home.
Next Steps and Report Submission
The panel is scheduled to submit its comprehensive written report on Saturday. Following this submission, formal recommendations for action against the teacher will be made. This case underscores the importance of maintaining strict confidentiality and adherence to protocols in the examination evaluation process to uphold the credibility of the education system.
