The Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA) had to cancel the class X examination for science, which was scheduled for Monday, following reports of a paper leak.
This triggered protests in parts of Assam while the Opposition parties raised the matter inside the ongoing budget session of the State Assembly demanding resignation of education minister Ranoj Pegu.
The SEBA issued the order on Sunday night based on media reports and social media posts that showed hand-written questions of the model question paper of general science. An order issued by the SEBA said the examination was canceled fearing confusion among students following the alleged leak of the question paper.
SEBA later decided to conduct the examination on March 30.
On Monday morning, however, many students visited their examination centres but had to return home as their examination was already cancelled. Members of the influential All Assam Students' Union (AASU) staged protests in various places demanding resignation of the education minister.
Pegu also faced the ire of the Opposition parties, who raised the issue during the ongoing budget session of the Assembly. They blamed officials of the SEBA and the education department for their alleged failure to conduct the examination in free and fair manner. The Opposition Congress demanded an adjournment of the Assembly session for a discussion on the issue but the Speaker did not give permission. Pegu, while replying to the questions informed the Assembly that a CID inquiry was instituted into the incident.
Senior Congress MLA, Debabrata Saikia said over four lakh students suffered due to failure of the SEBA and the state education department. Saikia sought to know what action has been taken against the officials of the SEBA and the education department for their lapses. The Congress MLA demanded that the inquiry should be conducted by a retired judge of Gauhati High Court.
Akhil Gogoi, MLA of Raijor Dal, another Opposition party, demanded resignation of the education minister.