Manhandling of Inspection Squad : More troubles

SALEPUR: The recent incident of manhandling of an inspection squad by the examinees in Lalitgiri High School under Mahanga block has opened up a can of worms.  Sources said the members of an inspection squad deputed by the Board of Secondary Education who were at the school to ensure fair examination were  manhandled and locked inside the school for more than two hours for disallowing malpractice. They even brought about false charge of molestation.It is alleged that undue favour was shown in appointment of the Gana Sikhyaks of Mahanga, the constituency of School and Mass Education Minister Pratap Jena, by the School and Mass Education Department. The  Programme Centre (PC) was changed from Salepur High School to Bhagabati High School in Mahanga block and examination centre facilitated at Lalitgiri High School, a school taken over by the government and situated in a remote corner of  Mahanga. As per earlier notification of SCERT, a total of five PCs _ DIET in Narasinghpur, ST  School in Athagarh, RNST School in Cuttack, Salepur High School in Salepur and ST School in Ragadi _ were to impart certified teachers (CT) training to 600 Gana Sikhyaks of Cuttack district under distance education programme. Accordingly, 89 Gana Sikhyaks of Salepur education district were being imparted training at Salepur High School. A few days after the training, the PC at Salepur High School was closed and shifted to Bhagabati Bidyapitha, Sukleswar in Mahanga block. Again, instead of the Salepur High School which has adequate infrastructural facilities, Lalitgiri High School was selected as the examination centre.According to sources in the Secondary Board, the examination centres were selected on the basis of report of Circle Inspector (CI) of Schools, Cuttack.The CI of Schools,  Cuttack, Brundaban Satpathy denied any political pressure. He, however, admitted to have suggested the examination centre at Lalitgiri on the request of Gana Sikhyaks of Mahanga.Questions have been raised as to under what circumstances the PC was changed and an examination centre selected in an area vulnerable to disturbances. A departmental inquiry will no doubt bring the persons concerned to books.