With exam season in full swing, Bihar is full of innovations to assess the capabilities of its 10th standard exam candidates. Some startling discoveries by V GANGADHAR
Bihar’s academic life has a assumed new fervour. With the exam season in full swing and 10th standard examinations on, the State Education Minister, P.K.Sahi flitted in and out of exam centres, talking to those who were in charge of conducting the examinations .
It was a festive occasion. The minister and the department officials were jovial, ‘laddoos’ were distributed and there was laughter all round. Several copies of different Bihar newspapers were lying around. Glancing at the front pages of some of the dailies the Minister invited, “Have a look at these, great coverage of our exam scene. Malpractices or no, our students are the most innovative in the country. There is no doubt on that.”
His minions nodded faithfully.
“Media is a wonderful creation,” went on the Minister. “I am told these pictures of the Bihar 10th Standard exam scenes which appeared on front pages of all the newspapers were seen all over India. And TV went to town! Wonderful live pictures of candidates who appeared for the examination, in conditions fair or foul. I think Bihar is setting new standards in academic excellence and ingenuity in ‘Exam Appearance’”
“Sir,look at these pics,” examined an education department official. “We watched in on TV for two days but the print pictures are more telling. Look at the scene at the Vidya Niketan School in Vaishali district. Hundreds of students, their relatives and friends climbing the walls of the school to get into the examination hall. What athleticism! What innovation!”
“Why are they doing his?” asked a new entrant to the education department
The others looked at him pityingly. “Stay here for an year or so and you will know the ropes,” the Minister assured him. “Why should there be only one entry to the examination hall? The guys who are climbing the halls of the school building will distribute answer books to their friends or relatives who are appearing for the examination, sit near them and read out answers. Rare spirit of cooperation, unique in the academic world of India.”
“But, sir, such wall climbing is dangerous.” Lamented the young new entrant.
The education minister scoffed. “Never underestimate Indian youth, particularly from Bihar, They are capable of high adventure stuff. They would climb any walls, break any obstacles, cross any hurdles to help their youth brethren. What is a 10th std examination to them? They are capable of braver actions, haven’t you seen them stop and burn trains, destroy bus, trains and on?’
“Our boys are a versatile lot in such brave enterprises,”observed a junior minister.
The Minister nodded in gratification. “Today it is the wall of the Vidya Niketan School in Vaishali district. Tomorrow it will be Delhi, then it will be the world. The world should know of Bihar student power.”
Suddenly there were loud cheers. The building gates opened. Out marched groups of timid looking groups of people, carrying sheets of answer books and they were surrounded by slogan shouting, lathi-carrying student leaders. They sought the blessings of the minister.
The timid ones are the invigilators, “explained the Minister. “They are carrying answere books of this examination and mark them as per the command of the student leaders accompanying them. For us in Bihar, the future of the student community if of primary importance, after all, it is their 10th standard examination, They alone will write, supervise and evaluate their own answer books, Can you think of a better example of student democracy? By climbing the school building, the Bihar youth has only scaled new heights!”
