As in previous years, anomalies in SLC exams were reported mainly in the Tarai districts. In Dhanusha, 44 examinees, guards and guardians were arrested. [break]Of them, two students, who were found copying answers from guide-books, were expelled in Sakal Bhavan Higher Secondary School of Janakpur, Republica correspondent Suresh Yadav reported. Similarly, 12 persons -- who had entered exam centers in the guise of guards -- were held by the police. Some fake examinees were also arrested. Chief District Officer (CDO) Shambhu Adhikari said he would take legal action against all of them.
According to Republica Bara correspondent Upendra Lamichhane, 20 examinees, apart from five guards, were expelled in Bara. Of them, 18 examinees were expelled on the charge of cheating. Other two examinees were fake. According to District Education Office (DEO) of Bara, five guards were expelled for helping students cheat during exams.
In Morang, an exam superintendent was arrested for leaking question papers before the exams began. According to Republica correspondent Ajit Tiwari, police arrested 20 persons including Dr Uddab Pokhrel, the superintendent of Star Boarding School exams center in Biratnagar, for selling photo-copies of answers from a tuition center. Police said Dr Pokhrel, among others, were found photocopying answers when they raided the center, acting on a tip-off from local Maoists.
In Banke, Assistant Principal of Aadarsha Higher Secondary School of Nepalgunj, Sharad Rawal, among nine others, were arrested for providing photo-copies of answers to examinees. According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Binod Ghimire, Rawal and his accomplices were arrested when they were all set to distribute photocopies of answers in three different exam centers of Banke. “We will book them on public offence charge,” DSP Ghimire told Republica.
Humla DEO attacked
District Education Officer (DEO) of Humla, Dharma Jeet Shah, who instructed all exam guards to keep a strong vigil on fake examinees, was attacked by students and guardians the day before the exams started. On Wednesday night, over three dozen students and guardians pelted stones at Shah´s house. They even threw out Shah´s belongings from his house. Local students and guardians had been pressing him to loosen security in the SLC exams. Shah has sustained minor injuries in the attack.
Police have arrested five persons for their involvement in the attack. They were released after they apologized during an all-party meeting on Thursday.
In Saptari, the DEO Office has been padlocked by headmasters of local public schools in protest of the selection process of exam centers and superintendents.
Lawmaker appears in SLC
According to Mahendranagar-based Republica correspondent Bikram Giri, Geeta Thagunna, who was nominated as a member of Constituent Assembly by the Maoists, has appeared in this year´s SLC exams from Khandeshwori Higher Secondary School exams center of Darchula district. Earlier, Thagunna had appeared in the SLC exams ten years ago, but failed. “I could not complete my studies as I participated in the insurgency,” she said. “I am now free to resume my studies.”
In Udaypur, over a dozen local Maoist leaders, who earlier had to discontinue their studies, have participated in this year´s exams. Similarly, over 300 former Maoist guerrillas, who are waiting to be integrated into the security forces, have tried their luck in this year´s Iron Gate exams.
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