Saying that incident of question paper leakages in different public exams has assumed an epidemic proportion is perhaps an understatement. The virus is spreading like cancer across the system to such an extent that even primary level admission test is not immune from it. Views endorsed by media reports say that question paper for admission test of class-I in public schools has been leaked. Apart from lowering our jaws the incident laid bare the pervasive corruption and malpractices in the education sector. Unsurprisingly, some corrupt teachers and unscrupulous business men are involved in the crime. But by some extraordinary stroke of coincidence, guardians of some students are found adding fuel to the fire. These guardians have joined the unholy alliance of a group of dishonest teachers, senior university students, businessmen forming a mafia nexus which has put the entire nation to shame.
All efforts by the ministry of education appear inappropriate and inadequate to fight the evil. Failure of the ministry confirms that stopping question paper leak is no longer a job for the government alone. Social resistance is necessary.
Introduction of Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) method is not the right way to follow as it does not help build logical or analytical ability in students. The existing situation is expected to improve if half of the 100 marks in a subject is distributed on the basis of class attendance, field visit report, assignment and another half is brought under open book system. A committee of educationists may be constituted to review and remodel the existing system. If continuity of assessment system is maintained, it may produce positive results.
The education sector is plagued by multiple ailments. As academic certificates are important, a group of businessmen are found involved in trading certificates of degrees of different disciplines under the guise of some private universities. The government has not allowed study centres, but a good number of such centres are still on under the influence of another group of powerful people in violation of laws of the land.
Copying, question leak and certificate trading have created havoc which must be restrained, otherwise quality education shall remain a far-fetched dream.
There are many public universities now alongside four old ones on the one hand and about a hundred private universities of which 15 private universities are doing well. Assessment system is crucial for these universities alongside research work, involvement in social development and achieving international standard.
Apart from being a money-spinner for the perpetrators, leak of question papers create added pressure on students. Sadly, similar incidents are not restricted to one public exam, but it is rampant in case of other exams like admission tests in public universities, reputed schools and now at primary level as well.
As already mentioned, social resistance is essential to drive out the devils behind this social evil. Other alternatives can prove to be effective in this respect. The Barisal University has introduced an electronic jammer successfully that inactivates mobile phone or other electronic devices around the examination centres. Another step may be taken to stop epidemic growth of leaks. A separate question bank may be created with one million questions which may be used by all public universities and may be transmitted online through servers. However, this process cannot be introduced in the immediate future because servers are necessary and each examinee would need a desktop computer. But exams may be planned and scheduled to accommodate these electronic devices. In this way fraudulent activities involving question papers can be sealed.
