75% students who skipped UP board exams were from outside
What's the story
About 75% of the nearly 11 lakh students who skipped this year's Uttar Pradesh board examinations were from neighboring states, and some of them were even from foreign countries like Nepal and Bangladesh, said the state's Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma. This startling fact came to light when details of those who skipped the examinations were analyzed by the education department, said Sharma.
Details
Students didn't turn up due to "strictness"
"75% of those who skipped the examinations were from neighboring states. Candidates from countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and the UAE were among them," Dinesh Sharma said. The UP board exams were in the news as many students didn't turn up due to "strictness" and effective use of a special task force and local intelligence to keep a tab on the cheating mafia.
Cheating mafia
State government took help of the Special Task Force
Sharma, who also holds the education portfolio said the state government took the help of the Special Task Force (STF) and local intelligence to curb the activities of the copying mafia with an aim to "continue with our motto of ensuring sanctity of the examinations". "The copying mafia used to take contracts guaranteeing success in Class 10 and 12 state board examinations," he said.
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In place of real candidates, impersonators were made to appear
"Impersonators were made to appear in the examination in place of real candidates and centers were earmarked where copying could be facilitated easily," said Sharma
Exam centers
Schools having cameras will only be used as exam centers
The government decided to install CCTV cameras at all examination centers to keep a hawk-eye vigil on the activities going on. "However, installation of cameras in over 10,000 schools would cost over Rs. 400 crore and the state didn't have that budget. So, we decided that only schools having CCTV cameras, boundary walls and other facilities will be used as exam centers," he said.
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I personally monitored the examinations: Sharma
"I personally monitored the examinations and as soon as I got any input, I shared it with the STF and immediate action was taken," Dinesh Sharma said.
Unfair ways
Government studied all possible unfair ways
Sharma said the government had studied all possible unfair ways and means that could be resorted to by students during the examination. "Those impersonating others or involved in replacing answer sheets before they reached evaluation centers were not able to do so due to these effective measures," said Sharma. UP board examination for Classes 10 and 12 was held between February 6-March 12.