STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI, March 29: The Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) on Thursday set the ball rolling to bring about major reforms in its functioning to ensure the conduct of higher secondary fil examitions with sanctity and privacy.
An emergency meeting of the executive council of AHSEC held at the council’s office on Thursday decided not to engage around 20 employees of the council in any exam in future following reports and allegations that these employees were not committed to maintaining the sanctity and privacy of the exams that might have resulted in the recent incidents of alleged question papers leak by Science Academy, Goalpara. The meeting also decided to offer voluntary retirement to former AHSEC controller of examitions Pradip Kalita. The council will soon appoint a new controller of examitions.
The meeting of the executive council, the highest decision-making body of AHSEC ,which was necessitated following widespread protests and criticism against alleged question papers leak in Goalpara district, took several other decisions to streamline the functioning of the council as well take actions against those responsible for degrading the sanctity of the HS exams.
AHSEC Chairman Dayanda Buragohain told The Sentinel after the meeting that there were some black sheep in the council who would face the music if they did not fall in line. He said Thursday’s executive council had decided to constitute three reform committees to bring about positive and progressive changes in the examition, academic and administrative spheres of the council.
In view of mushrooming of private junior colleges in the State, AHSEC’s executive council has decided to tighten its rules to accord affiliation and recognition to such institutes for the sake of a secure academic future of students.
“We will keep a strict vigil on about 182 private institutions affiliated to AHSEC so that they do not take students and their parents for a ride. There will be regular inspection at private institutions to prevent them from taking to unfair practices to perform well in HS fil exams,” Buragohain said.
The executive council has also decided to seek public opinion to remove its tradition of announcing rank holders in the HS fil exams to prevent unhealthy competition among private institutions and students.