AP SSC Exam 2022: 42 teachers arrested, suspended over exam malpractices

AMARAVATI: As many as 42 teachers of various schools across Andhra Pradesh have so far been arrested and suspended for indulging in malpractices in the ongoing annual examinations of Class 10. Authorities view the malpractices as deliberate acts of mischief by some teachers to show the government in a poor light, even as the teachers’ unions remained stoically silent on the issue leading to suspicions. The Class 10 public examinations were being held from April 27 for the first time after two years as in the previous two years the examinations were not conducted owing to Covid-19 pandemic.

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Education Department authorities detected the malpractices on the Day One when the Telugu question paper was photographed and circulated on WhatsApp from Kurnool district, an hour and a half after the examination began. The same happened on the second day (Hindi exam) and the third day (English) as well in Satya Sai, Kurnool and other districts. “In all these cases we immediately detected the hand of some teachers who, with the help of some outsiders spread rumours about ‘leak’ of the question papers. This was nothing but gross mischief as there was no leak of the question paper but unnecessary apprehensions were sought to be created among students and parents,” a senior Education Department official said.

The respective district Collectors, along with the police, cracked down on the mischief-makers and arrested them under the AP Public Examinations (Prevention of Malpractices and Unfair Means) Act, 1997. Though the law was enacted 25 years ago, this was the first time the teachers were arrested under its provisions against malpractice, the official pointed out. “We have so far arrested 42 teachers and placed them under suspension in different districts,” the official said. Though certain malpractices were “common” in all public exams, this was the first time stringent action has been initiated against the erring teachers, the official added.

School Education Commissioner S Suresh Kumar issued proceedings to all District Educational Officers pointing out that certain incidents like unauthorised presence of teachers, who were not on examination duty, in the examination centres; invigilators and other persons drafted for exam duty carrying mobile phones; taking photographs of the question paper and forwarding it to others have come to light. Also, deployment of students and other outsiders for works like supply of water, attempts to leak the question papers by vested interests operating individually/collectively by unfair means were noticed, he said.

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“Teaching is a noble profession and the teachers are expected to be role models in the society. Such shameful acts by certain teachers are bringing disrepute not only to the teaching community but also to the (education) department and the whole state. This will also adversely affect the morale of students who have studied hard despite all adversities,” Suresh Kumar observed. The School Education Commissioner directed the DEOs to take stern action as per law and rules against those indulging in malpractices and ensure the examinations were conducted in a hassle-free manner.