With as many as 21 students across Telangana ending their lives, the National Human Rights Commission has served notice to the Telangana government over the marks “goof up” by the State Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE) which has failed around 3 lakh students.
The NHRC has sought a report from the state Chief Secretary within four weeks, explaining what action it has taken to punish the guilty, and the reprieve, if any, given to the next of kin of the students who ended their lives for being unable to clear the second year exam.
The government, which stepped in no sooner the ‘goof up’ snowballed into a major controversy, appointed a three-member committee on April 22 to go into the reasons for the bungling.
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Reliable sources say that the Committee could fine the private IT firm which was engaged by the Board and was responsible for the goof-up. The Hyderabad Globarena Technologies Pvt Limited, which was apparently disbanded by the earlier government, had been re-engaged by the Board in the new state, it is alleged.
Whether in the case of screening of online fee payment or processing of marks data, and also in other aspects, the IT company has apparently failed miserably, leading to the massive bungling of results.
Chief Minister, K Chandrasekhara Rao, has intervened and directed the Board officials to take corrective measures by conducting revaluation of answer sheets of all the students, including those who passed as well failed to clear the second-year exam, free of cost, which is likely to cost the state ex-chequer around Rs 14-16 crore.
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He also appealed to the students not to take the extreme step of ending their lives.
Meanwhile, unhappy with the steps being taken by the KCR government, the Congress-led Opposition stepped up its agitation and has also submitted a memorandum to Governor ESL Narasimhan to direct the government to sack Education Minister Jagdishwar Reddy and the concerned Board officials. It also demanded compensation to be paid to the families of those students who ended their lives.
The Opposition is also planning to hold a massive dharna before the Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE) on Monday.
Nearly 40 lakh students appeared for the final year examinations that were held in February/March 2019. Around 60 per cent of the pass results were from the private institutions, and the government colleges had a mere 43 per cent.
