Nellore: Corporation schools prepare answers, aid copying

Nellore: Authorities suspended an invigilator and discharged two officials from Class X exam duties after the leakage of the general science question paper from an exam centre of the Narayana Institutions in Nellore, an hour after the commencement of the exam on Saturday. However, copying continues unabated in small towns and in rural areas in various parts of Nellore district.

It is alleged that the staff of corporate schools receive details from the centres within an hour of the distribution of question papers. They prepare answers and students collect them when they leave the hall on the pretext of going to the washroom. Government teachers allege that they are forced to allow students to copy, as senior officials pressurise them to achieve 100 per cent results. They say they are ranked on the basis of the results of their Class X students, which is a criteria for transfer to a desired place, and for promotions.

A parent-cum-teacher said that students who worked hard would be disillusioned because there would not be any difference between their ranking  those of students who copy. Nellore district education officer M. Ramlingam said that he and collector R. Muthyala Raju had made it clear to teachers that they were not looking at ranks, and that they wanted to conduct the exams without any room for irregularities, even if the district ended up last as a result of it.

Regarding the paper leak, the DEO said invigilator Mahesh had been suspended and chief departmental officer Srinivasulu and departmental officer Shabia Taj had been relieved of exam duties. He said that a complaint had been lodged with the Nellore rural police under the Cyber Crime and Information Technology Act of 2000. Mr Ramalingam said action had been taken against an attendant working at Narayana School, for taking pictures of the question paper and circulating them.