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Cheating in exams still plagues Bihar schools

Not an issue in church-run schools but reports of wide scale cheating affect students' morale
Cheating in exams still plagues Bihar schools

In this photograph taken on March 19, 2015, Indian relatives of students taking school exams climb the walls of the exam building to help pass candidates answers to questions in Vaishali in the eastern state of Bihar. (Photo by AFP)

Published: June 30, 2016 10:14 AM GMT
Updated: June 30, 2016 11:12 AM GMT

Two people including a top government official accused of manipulating results of school final examinations in eastern India's Bihar state, adversely affects the morale of students and teachers, say Catholic educationists.

"It is symptomatic of the rampant corruption in the state, that has been going on for ages," said Father Norbert Menezes, coordinator for the Jesuit education ministry in the state.

The latest incident came to light when media reported two "undeserving" candidates being awarded the top rank in the state's grade public examination conducted by Bihar School Examination Board. The results were announced in May.

Soon after the news broke out, state police arrested two people — principal of a school and a former chairman of the Board — accusing them of manipulating the results. Police continue the investigation in a bid to find if more people are involved and if more students were awarded undeserving grades.

"Meritorious students are deprived of justice, whereas corrupt and immoral practices of others bring them great dividends. Many students now ask: why should we work hard to excel?" said Father Joseph Raj, Patna archdiocesan educational coordinator.

Cheating in the exams are regularly reported from the state. Media last year showed photos of parents climbing school walls to pass answers to their children writing examinations. Since then the Bihar state government has tried to enforce fines and jail terms to curb cheating.

The state of 104 million people also suffers form an inadequate educational infrastructure, unable to provide education to school students. The Bihar government has admitted that in 2011-12, about 85 percent of students dropped out of primary schools.

Against this background, church-run schools highly regarded for its discipline, curriculum and quality education, are sought after. The Catholic Church's six dioceses across the state runs 24 colleges, some 85 higher secondary schools and 44 primary schools educating thousands of students, majority of them Hindus and Muslims.

"We teach them values and impart the best education. Hence is natural for the teachers and students to lose heart. Their morale is seriously low today," Father Raj told ucanews.com.

The present scandal will also hamper the prospects students coming out of even Christian educational institutions because they all function under the same examination system of the government, says Mathew Lukose, a 12th grader of Patna's St. Michael's School.

"The Bihar tag is bound to hamper our prospects. However, respect for missionary schools will surely support us," said Lukose, explaining that although the people have lost trust in the exam system they believe in the high standard of church-run schools.

The strict conduct of the recent 10th grade class State Board examination, in which only 45 percent passed, shows that the government, if serious, can prevent all malpractices and improve the situation, Patna archdiocesan spokesperson Father Devasia Mattathilany said.

"Government should take serious steps to rectify the decadence in education. It calls for strict action and punishment to all the guilty. Justice and truth should prevail," he said.

Christians are a minuscule minority of 0.12 percent of the population, where majority Hindus and 17 percent Muslims form 99 percent of the population. Christians, Jains, Buddhists and others put together form the one percent of the population.

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