MUMBAI, March 9: The state government today constituted three committees to ensure that the HSC Board examinations are smoothly conducted in Maharashtra, regardless of the continuing stir of 42,000 non-teaching college employees.This decision was taken after the critical talks between the government and union leader R B Singh failed to materialise today due to the state's refusal to concede the union's demands.
To protest against the government's attitude, sources said, the striking employees will try to prevent distribution of hall tickets and may also start a `jail bharo' agitation. However, Minister of State for Education Anil Deshmukh said: ``We have involved the entire state machinery to conduct the exams, and created three main committees at the district level, division level and state level to see that no incidents of violence occur.''
The committees will be headed by high-ranking IAS and IPS officials. While collectors of various districts will head the district-level committee, the chiefsecretary will be in-charge of the state-level committee.
``In case any problems are faced by students or principals at the exam centres, the committees will immediately take action against the erring parties,'' Deshmukh said.
When told that students in many colleges have yet to receive their hall tickets, Deshmukh said the Board is working overtime to ensure such difficulties are overcome by Tuesday. ``I've been informed that in some colleges, the hall tickets are ready, but they've been locked in the office cupboards by the non-teaching staffers on strike. In such cases, the Board will issue fresh hall tickets,'' he remarked.
But many principals are still sceptical about holding the exams at their centres. ``Some representatives of the Principal's Forum have also met the Minister of Higher and Technical Education, Datta Rane, along with R B Singh. They were assured they wouldn't face any problems at the time of exams,'' said Principal D B Kadam of Bhavan's College (Andheri).
Students from theBharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, led by Vineet Kanchan and Ashish Waghe, also met Datta Rane and expressed concern over the imbroglio.An adamant R B Singh told this newspaper that there are bound to be many goof-ups at the time of exams, as the government-appointed staff aren't experienced in exam-related work.
HSC candidates have never been in such an unenviable situation. This same batch, which had to give a re-examination in Maths and Science following leakage of SSC papers in 1996, has had to suffer considerable uncertainty again.
Junior college teachers have also decided to boycott evaluation of HSC papers this year, and the practical examination, which was to be held from March 2 to March 10, has been postponed to April 2. Barely two days before the examination, many students still haven't got their hall tickets.
As if this isn't enough, students have been given examination centres far away from home. Swati Rane, a Standard XII commerce student of Ruia College, Matunga, stays in Bhayander, but she'llhave to go to MMP Shah Women's college at King Circle to write her papers. ``We have to mark the preferred area for the exam centre when we fill up the examination form.
All these years, students would mention their residential area. But since last year, students have been told to mention the area in which the college is situated,'' Swati said. ``After appearing for a paper from 3 pm to 6 pm, I'll reach home only at 8 pm. The next morning, I must leave home at least by 9 am for the 11 am paper. That gives us barely four hours to study,'' she complained.
Secretary of the Mumbai divisional board, G Kanthe, explained that the new system was introduced so that the exam could be `organised' better. ``In the earlier system, notorious students would ask for centres where they thought they could manage to cheat,'' he said. ``If students commute to their college throughout the year, why can't they do it during exams as well?'' asked Kanthe.
Nalasopara resident Jayashankar Talreja feared this `distance problem'could cost him an academic year: if railway services are disrupted, travelling from Nalasopara to King's Circle by road would take at least three hours! Kanthe's retort to this is that in case of such a problem, a student can walk into the nearest examination centre, explain the situation to the chief custodian and start writing his paper.
