Mumbai: In a first, the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) directed schools to appoint external centre directors and supervisors for the SSC and HSC board exams as part of the ‘Copy Mukt Abhiyaan.’

With the state striving to combat malpractices during board exams, the directive has met with criticism from several education experts and activists, who see it as a sign of distrust towards teachers.

The government circular issued by MSBSHSE for the ‘Copy Mukt Abhiyaan' stated “To ensure transparency in conducting exams, the process of appointing the center director, supervisor, and examination-related personnel should involve selecting teachers and employees from secondary or higher secondary schools other than the school where the students are appearing for the exams.” This primarily means that students will have invigilators and exam staff from schools other than their own conducting the board exams.

Many education experts have criticised this decision, calling it unnecessary.“With students from ten different schools present at an exam center, how can teachers possibly help students from their own school cheat?”questioned Mahendra Ganpule, Former President of the Headmasters' Association. According to him this decision seemed as a sign of distrust towards teachers.

Vasant Kalpande, Former Director of Education, Government of Maharashtra, acknowledged that the decision aims to address malpractices during board examinations. However, he expressed concerns about its potential consequences, stating that it could foster an atmosphere of animosity.

“There may have been instances where teachers were found facilitating malpractice, particularly when students unexpectedly achieve higher marks in internal assessments. However, this approach is not a sustainable solution, as it risks eroding trust in teachers and schools, ultimately leading to discord,” he remarked.

According to Ganpule, the last-minute decision disrupts the examination process, causing undue burden on the teachers. He further stated that the examination period is already a stressful time for teachers. Making these sudden changes without prior notice only increases the challenges they face.

The Class 10 board examinations are scheduled to begin on February 21 and conclude on March 17, 2025. Similarly, the Class 12 examinations will take place from February 11 to March 11, 2025.