Plus 2 Onam exams from Wednesday; Schools warned of action if fail to prepare own question papers
Kozhikode: With a day left for the Plus Two Onam exams on Wednesday, the General Education Department has warned the higher secondary schools of action if question papers are not prepared at respective schools. The warning comes in the wake of rising complaints that the schools are approaching external agencies for preparing question papers.
Meanwhile, Higher Secondary school teachers allege discrimination as the General Education Department prepares question papers only for Classes till Xth standard and does not prepare for the higher secondary classes. Some also point out problems like losing of confidentiality and dignity of the examination besides causing financial burden to the schools.
The Plus Two Onam exams will start on Wednesday. The Education Department has issued only the time table. The Department has ignored the demands to prepare question papers for the higher secondary classes as well and directed the respective schools to do it. The direction came against the backdrop of complaints that schools are depending on some organisations, including teachers’ unions, for the purpose. It has been pointed out by several principals that the seriousness and standard of the exams would be lost if the teachers themselves prepare question papers. There is also a situation where the amount of expenses has to be collected from the students. The possibility of leakage during copying or printing of the question papers prepared at the school level cannot be ruled out. If that happens, the teachers and principals in charge will have to face action, they point out.
There was a practice earlier in which teachers’ unions used to prepare question papers. When objections were raised, the education department started issuing the question papers directly. The system, which had been going on without any complaints, was stopped and the request came last year to prepare question papers at the respective schools by the Department.