Who will guard Higher Secondary question papers? Kerala yet to ensure a security system

Kozhikode: There is still no clear system in place to ensure the security of Kerala Higher Secondary exam question papers as they reach schools. Unlike SSLC question papers, which are stored in treasuries and delivered to schools only on exam days, Higher Secondary question papers have been kept in schools from the start. The lack of designated personnel to guard these papers has remained a concern for several years, with no concrete solution yet.

The exams for the ongoing academic year are scheduled to begin on March 3. Although the question papers have arrived at the schools, no security guards have been assigned to safeguard them.

Though the Director of General Education had earlier issued an order allowing non-teaching staff from high schools to be assigned the duty, principals point out that the directive has not been implemented. Despite the government claiming that the school amalgamation order had placed non-teaching staff under the control of principals, they still report to the vice-principal (HM) as their superior officer. There are also allegations that the non-cooperation of subordinate officers is a deliberate ploy.

Double-lock cupboard under CCTV
As per the Director of General Education's order (dated February 20), question papers must be stored in double-lock cupboards inside a secure room with 24-hour CCTV surveillance at the respective exam centres.

Staff resistance and principal protests
In many schools, lab assistants were assigned guard duties for question papers in previous years. However, they challenged the decision before the Administrative Tribunal, which ruled that guarding question papers was not part of their official duties. Following this, DGE issued an order to assign the duty to non-teaching staff from high schools.

The order has sparked strong resentment among high school staff. Many principals have refused to release staff for this duty, creating tension within institutions. The non-cooperation of staff and the lack of clarity on who should guard the question papers have become a major issue.

Past controversies
The government's stance of penalising principals instead of culprits has added to the anxiety. In the 2020 Plus One improvement exam question paper theft case at Kuzhimanna Government Higher Secondary School in Malappuram, the principal was suspended despite being at home at the time of the incident. The Education Department recovered Rs 9,57,693 from his retirement benefits.

Minister’s intervention sought
The Kerala Higher Secondary School Principals’ Association has demanded the Education Minister's immediate intervention, citing that the government has been sacrificing principals and question papers to protect subordinate officers for years.

"The conspiracy by subordinate officers to defy the Director of General Education's order is extremely serious. The Minister must urgently intervene," said Dr N Zakir Sainudheen, president of the association.

The lack of security arrangements, even five years after the Kuzhimanna incident, has drawn widespread criticism. The practice of storing Higher Secondary question papers without proper security measures — while SSLC papers are safeguarded in treasuries — is seen as a glaring administrative failure.