Madhyamik question upsets teachers

Invigilators feel students’ ire

Statesman News Service

KOLKATA, Feb. 27: Teachers in the city feel that rural students with English as second language in the Madhyamik examinations might have found it difficult to compose a letter on important places in the city as required by a question set in today's examination.

The West Bengal Headmasters’ Association (WBHA) has complained to officials of the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) and requested the Board not to set questions on a particular city. Ten marks were allotted for letter writing.

“The bulk of Madhyamik examinees are from rural areas and a large number of them do not have access to television. It is very difficult for them to write anything about a place about which they do not have much knowledge,” said WBHA secretary Mr Ashok Maity.

According to a teacher in a government school, many rural students have heard about Kolkata from their relatives only, and it might have been difficult for them to express their thoughts in English and write around 120 words.

WBBSE president Ms Mamata Ray, however, said students would not have faced any difficulty. “Students surely know some of the places in the city,” she added.

Meanwhile, examinees at Ramjibanpur exam centre failed to enter the examination hall on time following a clash between two groups in Midnapore West. WBBSE officials intervened and finally police managed to help students appear for the examination.

Students will appear for life science tomorrow. It will be the first time that the paper will be printed in Hindi as well.

Invigilators feel students’ ire

Madhyamik candidates and their guardians roughed up invigilators, damaged their two-wheelers and confined them till evening at two examination venues - Baluachara High School and Bangitola Higher Secondary School respectively in Kaliachak II block in Malda today. According to the authority of the two schools, the invigilators performed their duty strictly and with integrity, which displeased some people and they took out their frustration by assaulting the invigilators. “It is a shameful incident,” the authorities of both schools, said.

It is learnt that the candidates found the English paper tough and hence sought help of the invigilators. The invigilators turned down their request, which upset the examinees and they attacked the schoolteachers with bamboo sticks and bricks. It has been alleged that a section of the guardians encouraged the attackers. The centre in-charge, Mr Mantu Roy informed the district inspector of schools (secondary) that the teachers had demanded more police force for their security.