Students can heave sigh of relief, no re-exam of leaked Algebra paper

Around three lakh students appearing for their Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination in Mumbai division of state board can heave a sigh of relief as there will be no re-examination of the leaked Algebra paper. The Mumbai division of Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) submitted its inquiry report on Wednesday to Pune board office and shot down the possibility of re-examination.
Earlier, students were worried as the re-exam was expected to spoil their overall result. They were apprehensive that the state education board might consider conducting re-examination of the leaked Algebra paper. The decision has however, brought relief to them.

Laxmikant Pandey, chairman of Mumbai division of MSBSHSE said, "The paper was not circulated and was found in possession of one student. In addition, the question set that was found was different from the set with which the examination was to be conducted." He added there is no meaning of conducting the re-examination.
On March 11, nearly 2,88,676 students appeared for the Algebra paper in the Mumbai division and the case of paper leak was reported in Kandivli, Mumbai. Soon after the students got the news, they frantically called the board helpline number to know the status of the examination.

The boy arrested with the question paper, claimed to have brought the question paper from an unknown person at Kandivli station. "The police are investigating the incident and after they submit the report, the board will take a decision," said a board official requesting anonymity.
The board official had however claimed that the chances of the board conducting a re-examination are very slim, as the question paper found in the possession of the student was from set C, while the examination was conducted from the other set.

However, the board has not taken any decision regarding the faulty student. "We will take a decision about the student after the examination process completes," said Pandey. However, he confirmed that the student was found guilty.

Last year too, the Algebra question paper was leaked and the owner of a coaching class was arrested. However, a re-exam was not conducted as the paper had not been circulated.
Majority of the city students feared a re-examination that would affect their overall result. "Normally, there is a trend of difficult questions being asked if there is re-examination. It would have affected the overall results. But now we are relieved as there will be no re-exam," said a student.