Unholy nexus behind question paper leak

Md Saifullah Khaled | Published: August 22, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00

The frequent leaking of question papers of different public examinations for the last few years has worried the civil society of the country. Regular leaking of question papers of different public examinations is bringing down the morale of the honest examinees and the standard of education in the country. This along with low standard of education in the country forces many wards of the members of the affluent section of the society to migrate abroad for better education to the loss of huge amount of foreign exchange and the money spent domestically in the education sector. This concerns the conscious section of the country and those who cannot afford better education abroad for their children.Â Â
A new study of the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) reveals that coaching centres and government employees have been part of a big nexus in leaking question papers prior to all the public examinations. The study says it is quite impossible to leak question papers unless a section of the government employees, who are deployed in printing and distribution of question papers, are not involved. Revealing that officials of Primary Education Directorate, Education Boards, Bangladesh Government Press as well as local administrations have reportedly been involved in question paper leakage incidents, the TIB study found that student wings of ruling party, coaching centres, guidebook traders, photocopy shops, applicants and sometimes guardians as well play active roles in circulating the leaked question papers.
The anti-graft body conducted the study titled 'Question Paper Leakage in Public Examinations: The Processes, Reasons and Way Forward' during January to July 2015, aiming to identify the processes and reasons behind the question paper leakage and to provide recommendations to check it. The research shows that there were a total 63 allegations of question paper leakage in the last four years (2012-15). Despite taking some measures after the allegations of question papers leakage surfaced, the authorities concerned repeatedly ruled out all these allegations. As the authorities concerned have a tendency to refute the allegations of question paper leakage, they did not make probe reports public, deteriorating the country's education sector.
The leaked question papers were being sold at a range of Tk 20-20,000 while social media have been used to circulate it. The leaking of question papers has emerged as a 'growth industry' in the country where a section of government employees are involved. The coaching centres and guidebook traders are also involved in it and about Tk 320 billion is being exchanged in coaching trade in the country each year. The study recommended amending the government's existing policy on coaching centres to impose restriction on coaching trade and to increase facility to teachers to ensure education-friendly atmosphere in schools, colleges and other education institutions. It also suggested strengthening monitoring on use of ICT and bringing offenders involved in question paper leakage to justice.
However, the weak monitoring system and negligence of the authorities concerned of the Education Ministry are also responsible for the question papers leak. The relevant Ministry on August 05, 2015 dismissed part of the TIB report which brought allegation of negligence by the government authorities concerned. But TIB asserts that coaching centres and government employees have been part of a big nexus in leaking question papers prior to all the public examinations. The TIB argues that it is impossible to leak question papers unless a section of the government employees, who are deployed in printing and distribution of question papers, are not involved.Â Â
The Education Ministry claims that if there is any allegation against the ministry "it is not true"; the ministry claims that it is taking action against those involved in question papers leakage of the public examinations. Referring to the detectives arrested nine members of two syndicates involved in leaking question papers of different examinations from Jessore and Dhaka city on August 02, 2015, the ministry advised "to watch â€¦ and then you will get your answer whether the Education Ministry has taken any steps in this regard â€¦ and then make comments". Sources at the Detective Branch (DB) headquarters here said six members of a syndicate were arrested by DB police from different areas of Jessore district on August 2, 2015.
The arrestees are students of Jessore Polytechnic Institute and another private polytechnic institute of the district. During preliminary interrogation, the arrestees, who had been involved in leaking question papers of polytechnic institutes through Facebook, revealed that they used to collect (from where?) questions before each examination of the institute and then circulated those through facebook and blue tooth technology among their friends. Besides, a DB special team conducted drive in Demra area and arrested three persons on August 2, 2015 night. All of them are teachers of Gulam Mostafa Model College of Demra in the capital. Earlier, the DB police arrested six members of the gang, who had been involved in leaking SSC examination questions. On the basis of the statement of one of them, the detectives arrested the three teachers from Demra area.
But it is arguable that none of them are "government employees, who are deployed in printing and distribution of question papers". Then where from they get the relevant question papers if not from those who "are involved" in the process of printing and distribution. Further investigations, that are usually not made and/or revealed, may bring the cat out of the bag. It is necessary to go deep into the matter since leakage of public examination question papers is a threat to the morale of the nation. The students that come out of the educational institutions through this process will be of no use to the nation since they will definitely become corrupt and harmful to the national prestige in their future service and working life. If the process continues the nation will become not only a corrupt one but also a merit-less one and full of inefficient human resources.Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

The writer is a retired Professor of Economics, BCS General Education Cadre. E-mail: sarwarmdskhaled@gmail.com