Students' Federation of India stages hunger strike demanding reforms in Assam's secondary education board

The Students' Federation of India (SFI) has been on a hunger strike for the past six days, demanding reforms in the Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA). The SFI members alleged that the SEBA was responsible for the recent question paper leak, which resulted in the cancellation and rescheduling of the General Science and Assamese language exams.

Several intellectuals and educators joined the hunger strike in support of the SFI's demands. However, three of the seven SFI members who started the hunger strike are suffering from severe illness, and two of them were rushed to GMCH in an unconscious state.

The SFI members claimed that the hunger strikers were not provided with adequate health services, and no government representative showed any concern towards the strikers. The education minister's remarks were also condemned by intellectuals and educators.

On Friday, SEBA released instructions for conducting the rescheduled science and language papers. According to the latest instructions, the question paper packages will have to be received mandatorily by the station in-charges of the respective police stations. At the exam centers, the supervisor will have to open the packages under the surveillance of CCTV cameras.

The cancelled General Science examination has been rescheduled to be held on March 30, while the exam of all MIL/English (IL) subjects have been rescheduled to be held on April 1. The SEBA's latest notification has come in the wake of the controversy over the question paper leak, which resulted in widespread criticism of the state government, including the education minister Ranoj Pegu.