Jharkhand Academic Council Cancels Class 10 Hindi And Science Exams Over Paper Leak

In a significant announcement made by the Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC), two class 10 board exams for Hindi and Science subjects were cancelled. This decision came after allegations emerged that the question papers had been leaked and were circulating on social media platforms. The Hindi paper, which was conducted on February 18, and the Science paper, initially scheduled for February 20, are now postponed. This development has caused a stir among students, parents, and educators alike, raising concerns about the integrity of the examination process.

Following the incident, a formal notice was issued by JAC, a governmental entity responsible for overseeing educational assessments in the region. The statement highlighted, "All students, their parents, principals concerned, centre superintendents, and officials concerned are informed that in the light of information received through social media and newspapers, the examinations of Hindi (Course A & Course B) subject held in the first sitting on February 18 and Science subject in the first sitting on February 20 are cancelled." This notice not only informed the stakeholders of the cancellation but also assured them that re-examinations for these subjects would be organized at a later date.

The board examinations for class 10 and class 12 in Jharkhand commenced on February 11 under strict security measures to prevent any unfair practices. These examinations are a pivotal moment for over 7.84 lakh students registered to participate across the state. Conducted in two sessions to accommodate the vast number of examinees, the class 10 exams were slated for the morning session from 9.45 am to 1 pm, whereas the class 12 exams were arranged for the afternoon session from 2 pm to 5.15 pm.

Adding to the logistical complexity of conducting these examinations, more than 4.33 lakh students were expected to sit for the class 10 exams in 1,297 different centres. Similarly, the intermediate exams had over 3.50 lakh students registered to appear across 789 centres. The cancellation of the Hindi and Science papers has therefore impacted a significant portion of the student body, prompting the JAC to take swift action in response to the leak. This incident underscores the challenges faced by educational authorities in ensuring the fairness and integrity of academic assessments in the digital age.