5 officials open wrong paper, suspended

Vikas Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 27

The School Education Department has placed five officials under suspension with immediate effect over the wrong seal opening of the English paper during the ongoing Class X and Class XII private, bi-annual examination of the winter zone (Jammu division).

Sources claimed that the officials were suspended after the joint secretary (examinations), J&K Board of School Education (JKBOSE), Jammu division, intimated the School Education Department about the incident of the wrong opening of the sealed packet of the Class XII English paper instead of the English paper of Class X at a centre constituted at Higher Secondary School, Batote (Ramban), on March 24.

It was reported that the superintendent of the examination centre had wrongly collected the sealed packet of Class XII question papers from the police station concerned on March 24 and signed on it without ascertaining the contents printed on the sealed packet.

The packet was also signed by the principal, HSS Batote, Ramban, along with the supervisors of the said centre and they did not ascertain the contents of the sealed packet.

“This reflects sheer negligence on their part in discharging their duty, thus putting the academic career of thousands of students in distress and causing a huge monetary loss to the board exchequer,” a statement said.

Sources said after request by the joint secretary, examinations, for initiating appropriate administrative action against the defaulters, the School Education Department had examined the case and found that officials had committed grave negligence. The suspended officials include Satya Dev Singh, principal of HSS, Batote; Ravinder Singh, superintendent, Durga Dass (deputy superintendent), Romesh Singh (supervisor) and Heena Islam (supervisor).

However, during the period of suspension, the officials will remain attached in their respective institutions, except the Batote school principal, who will be attached with the Director, School Education, Jammu, till further orders.

Class XII paper opened instead of Class X 

The five officials were suspended after the joint secretary (examinations), J&K Board of School Education, Jammu division, intimated the School Education Department about the incident of the wrong opening of the sealed packet of the Class XII English paper instead of the English paper of Class X at a centre constituted at Higher Secondary School, Batote (Ramban), on March 24.