M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, June 16: The entrance test for the two government schools of excellence for classes 6 to 11, held on 30.5.2023, is under a cloud of gross exam malpractices and is set to be cancelled with a fresh entrance test in the pipeline.
The two government schools of excellence are Zila School and KG Girls High School, both in Daltonganj.
The entrance test was held for a total of 720 admissions. Zila School has a quota of 480 seats while KG Girls High School has 240 seats. There was no entrance test for class 10 in both of these schools of excellence.
The tampering and fudging of the marks were done in a manner not bereft of an attempt to deliberate hoodwinking of the higher authorities where elements of conspiracy, ill motive and ill intent were most evident said sources.
Sources said in a very calculated move the bogey of inappropriate observance of the reservation roster was raised as a major cause of cancellation of the results of the entrance tests on June 10 while the matter of fact is the entire conduct of the entrance test and subsequent evaluation of the answer books were most flawed and badly corrupt with an aim to benefit students of choice.
Sources said the answer books were tampered with. Marks were fudged. There are signs of interpolations with other pens and styles in the answer books. The undeserving answer books carried more marks than the deserving ones.
Sources said rampant favouritism was done in the evaluation of the answer books of this entrance test.
Palamu DDC Ravi Anand who conducted an inquiry into this following a directive of the DC Palamu Anjaneyulu Dodde has found anomalies, irregularities and signs of tampering with marks etc beyond any iota of doubt.
This correspondent spoke to the DDC Ravi Anand today to know the fate of the entrance tests of two govt schools of excellence in Daltonganj.
According to the DDC, “There are ample and loud signs of tampering with the answer sheets. There is an inflation of marks just to help the favourite candidate in the admission. Undeserving answer sheets carry hiked marks.”
“We have found interpolations in the answer sheets with different pens and styles of writing. What does it all mean after all?” quipped the DDC.
On being asked if he saw in it a systematic and conspiratorial move to ruin the sanctity of the entrance test to which DDC said “There is a deliberate, systematic and conspiratorial move to defile the sanctity of the entrance test.”
Again asked if the gross malpractice is a handiwork of just one or two unscrupulous people either in the respective schools or in the education office here to which the DDC said “It can’t be a handiwork of just one or two. It’s a whole lot which knew what wrong and malpractices were being committed. Some of the lots were a witness to this wrong. Some were headlong plunged into it. But none put a stop to the wrong that was done.”
“There is no logic or substance left now to declare revised or amended results of the entrance test as when the very entrance test and its subsequent evaluation are corrupt, unfair and thoroughly dubious then the best course left now is to first cancel the entrance test held on 30.5.2023 and go for another entrance test for the two government schools of excellence the Zila School and KG Girls High School.” opined the DDC Ravi Anand.
Anand went on to say “Let’s go for another entrance test. That’s the best way to do justice to the candidates. You can’t have the result of a bad and ill-conducted and ill-evaluated entrance test.”
The DDC further said, “I have spoken to the DC Anjaneyulu Dodde to order for lodging the FIR against all those people who with one mind and intent vitiated the entire atmosphere of the admission in the schools of excellence here.”
Sources said as DC Anjaneyulu Dodde is on leave all eyes are on him as to what course of action is taken on his return in regard to this examination fiasco.
However, the DC giving his piece of mind to this correspondent said, “We are set to cancel the entrance test itself for these schools.”
Sources said the education office here has come for flak for such a huge and blatant bungling and malpractice in an ordinary examination for classes 6 to 11.
There are sharp reactions from the students and their guardians. “It’s no JPSC or UPSC or railway examination which is so difficult to handle but here the district education office is worth nothing,” said a young girl seeking admission in class 11 in the Zila School Daltonganj.
A male guardian said, “There is rampant corruption in the office of the education department here. Money, pairvi and pressure all work together. The headmasters are just small fry. There are tough middlemen here who call the shots.”
There are unconfirmed reports of money being exchanged for admission in these two schools of excellence.
