Assam: Lakhimpur District Students' Union carries out protest over HLSC paper leak

Miffed over the HLSC papers leak, Lakhimpur District Students' Union, on March 17 took to the streets and burnt effigies of Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu.

Besides this, the protestor also burnt the effigies of SEBA's official and Controller of Examinations.

''We won't allow someone to play with the lives of students in the state. We demand arrest of Ranoj Pegu and other SEBA officials who failed to conduct the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) exam smoothly in the state,'' said one of the protestors while speaking to media over the matter.

It is worth mentioning that ever since the reports of the paper leak have come to the fore, several student unions have criticized the Assam government for failing to conduct the HSLC exam.

Meanwhile, Pegu on March 17 announced that exams of MIL and English subjects will be held on April 1st, 2023. The exam was earlier announced to be held on March 18, 2023, following the paper leak.

''This is to notify to all concerned that in view of the ongoing Police Investigation regarding the leakage of the Question paper of the HSLC Examination 2025, and in order to avoid holding of examination of MIL subjects in a compromised situation, the Board of Secondary, Education, Assam has decided to reschedule the Examination of MIL/English (IL) subject earlier scheduled to be held on 18th March 2023.

The Examination of MIL/English (IL) subjects will now be held on 1st April 2023 from 9.00 am onwards in all the centres of the state of Assam,'' an official order dated 17 March read.

In connection with the paper leak case, the Assam Police have arrested the alleged mastermind of the HSLC paper leak scam, Pranab Dutta, in Lakhimpur. Another teacher, Kumud Rajkhowa, has also been arrested in the case. Additionally, the police have detained two others from Gogamukh for questioning. 

According to reports, both teachers have been terminated from their services.

The arrests were made in connection with the General Science (C3) subject of the HSLC exam. 

The police have so far apprehended 25 people, including students, in connection with the case and twelve of them are being taken for three days of police custody, while the other 13 are being interrogated as per the guidelines of the Juvenile Justice Act.

The CID is investigating all aspects of the case, as the question papers were leaked through WhatsApp messages.

Also read: Assam: MIL and English paper exams will be conducted on April 1st, 2023, tweets Ranoj Pegu