The Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) and higher secondary eduction (HSE) examinations got under way in the State on Tuesday. With no complaints forthcoming from students, both the examinations seem to have gone off without a hitch.
The first paper for SSLC was first language. The Plus One papers included Biology, Sanskrit Sasthra, Communicative English, and Geology, while the Plus Two subjects include Part 2 languages and Computer Science and Information Technology.
However, glitches with the iExams software in the higher secondary section led to a delay in completing examination procedures and sending the answer papers to valuation centres. Though iExams is used for both SSLC and higher secondary sections, no hurdles were reported in the case of SSLC-related exam procedures. However, in the higher secondary section, the iExams software which replaced the Exam Manager last year developed problems for the second year running.
The higher secondary examination on Tuesday concluded at 12.30 p.m., but more than four hours later the answer scripts were not packed and ready for despatch by post to the valuation centres.
Uploading
After the exams, 13 answer scripts each are put into a packet along with the score sheet used by examiners to record the marks and the packet sealed.
A packing slip that is generated after the list of absent students is uploaded into iExams is stuck on the packets. While receipt of the address to which the answer papers are to be sent was delayed quite a bit, the packing slips started arriving only late in the evening. By this time, the answer scripts had been stored in the presence of exam deputy superintendents inside lockers where the question papers had been kept.
School authorities said much was made by the Education Department of the need for time-bound completion of exam procedures and despatch of answer scripts. Steps taken to maintain security such as CCTV cameras and lockers would have no meaning if the papers could not be sent on time.
A school Principal said iExams had been introduced only last year and changes had been made to the software this time. Glitches on the first day were not be made a big deal of and would be addressed within no time.
The Aided Higher Secondary Teachers Association alleged that keeping papers in the open without sealing them was a security risk and provided an opportunity for irregularities to occur. It also alleged that conducting the SSLC and higher secondary examinations together would destroy the higher secondary sector.
Joint exams fail
The Kerala Higher Secondary Teachers Union, in a statement, said the bid to hold examinations together in the name of merger of directorates had failed. With nearly 10 lakh students appearing for the HSE examinations, appeals by the union to remove any problems with exam procedures had gone unheeded by the department.
