State pats its back for curbing mass copying in exams

Education minister Darda praises MSBSHSE officials for tamper-proof plan that worked wonders in checking the rampant menace

The state has created history by putting a curb on the malpractice of mass copying during the matriculation exams this year, said education minister Rajendra Darda, praising the officials of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) for their new tamper-proof formula that worked wonders in checking the moral menace.


Eyes on future: Education minister Rajendra Dadra plans to increase
the role of technology in education. File pic

Darda said the state had registered the minimum number of mass copying incidents in the last two decades.
"It is commendable that the measures introduced by MSBSHSE have really worked. Barring a few instances, the stigma of mass copying has been wiped out," he said.

The MSBSHSE had announced a number of initiatives to check copying during board exams. Besides flying squads, CCTV cameras and video surveillance of sensitive centres, the board, had for the first time introduced, sitting squads, or a team of education officers who will be present at sensitive centres, infamous for mass copying, during the exam.

Also, the MSBSHSE had for first time enlisted the help of local leaders and prominent citizens and formed vigilance committees for every exam centre. The next thing on Darda's agenda is increasing the role of technology in education. "I want to move towards e-learning and e-schooling in the future. We will also introduce complete and compulsory online admissions across the state.

In some rural areas, forms were given out manually and so were allocations of colleges. But now all admission forms post Xth standard as well as college allocation will be computerised. This will help reduce the chances of goof-ups and corruption," he said. The ministry also wanted to introduce online examinations wherever possible, he added.