A Vashi resident and HSC student, who was busy preparing for his maths paper on Wednesday night, got an SMS from an unknown number. It said she can ‘vote’ if she wants the physics exam to be re-conducted.
Ashima Dutt (name changed) said, “I was asked to vote by calling a helpline. When I did, I was told that this is all untrue.”
Like Dutt, hundreds of students across Maharashtra received such messages in the past three days, said an official of the Mumbai division of Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE). With scores of students going ahead for ‘voting’ for or against the re-exam, the two lines were flooded with calls on Thursday and Friday. The physics paper was conducted on February 25.
Calls at the Mumbai helpline came even from Ratnagiri, Nagpur and Kolhapur. Balasaheb Hyalij, counsellor of the board helpline, told DNA, “We have received nearly 800 calls in three days. Strangely, some of the teachers also called up to check if the news of voting is true.”
All such students have been advised to focus on the next paper.
Lakshmikant Pande, chairperson of the Mumbai division board, said, “This caused great inconvenience considering there were some genuine queries by students ahead of the SSC exams, which start on Saturday. The students should not get confused or panic because of this news as the state board has clarified that there will be no re-exam of physics.”
Many HSC (science) students had complained that the physics paper was tough and lengthy. Since then, there were a lot of rumours across the state that the board would conduct the exam again. The board has categorically denied this saying that this was instigated by coaching classes.
