A total of 41 students faced disqualification from the class 12 board exams in West Bengal due to the possession of mobile phones, as disclosed by Chiranjib Bhattacharya, the President of the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Examinations, on Thursday. This action transpired with two students having their candidature scrapped on February 29, while the remaining 39 were disqualified on earlier dates.

In response to these incidents, State Education Minister Bratya Basu highlighted the involvement of four non-teaching employees who aided candidates in adopting unfair means during the examinations. Basu also hinted at the possibility of a few more employees being engaged in such activities, suggesting potential motives like tarnishing the state government’s reputation or seeking financial gains.

Expressing concern over a potential conspiracy to defame and destabilize the exam process in the state, Basu drew attention to instances where the opposition had previously raised fake reports of question paper leaks. He commended the vigilance of the police, administration, and the general public in thwarting attempts to create chaos.

Regarding the disqualified candidates with mobile phones, Bhattacharya stressed that while the council does not wish to jeopardize their futures, it is crucial for them to learn from their mistakes and adhere to exam rules in the future.

Bhattacharya also mentioned the arrest of an individual for circulating a fake question paper on social media and soliciting money from candidates and their guardians. To enhance exam security, he highlighted the deployment of 350 metal detectors at sensitive exam centers during this year’s exams, with plans to further scale up security measures for the upcoming year.

The non-teaching employees implicated in aiding malpractice were identified in schools located in Malda, Murshidabad, Uttar Dinajpur, and Jalpaiguri. The class-12 board examination this year witnessed an estimated 7,89,867 students, and the upcoming exams for the next year are scheduled from March 3 to March 18.

Source: PTI

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