The Congress recently demanded the sacking of HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and CBSE Chairperson Anita Karwal after the leak of two Class 10 and Class 12 question papers and also sought a probe by a sitting High Court Judge.
Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said in a statement that an exam mafia was rising and that the Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister was busy targeting political opponents in West Bengal.
He added, “Multiple instances of bungling and malfeasance have marred the Central Bureau of Secondary Education under the Modi government.”
He also said that the government had systematically denigrated the country’s institutions.
The party also stated that the CBSE chairperson's post was vacant for two years under the then HRD Minister Smriti Irani. R.K. Chaturvedi was appointed to the post in July 2017, whereas Anita Karwal, who earlier served as the Chief Electoral Officer of Gujarat, was appointed to the post in August last year.
Surjewala accused Karwal of not taking proper care in the conduct of CBSE examinations and also alleged that she had received a copy of the leaked Mathematics paper a day before the exam was held.
Surjewala expressed, “Instead of taking extreme care in conducting the examinations, Karwal was busy camping in Ahmedabad, promoting her book on mountaineering.”
He asserted, “This has exposed the capture of highest academic institutions by the 'exam mafia' under the watch of the Modi government as also absolute abdication of authority by the HRD Minister and CBSE Chairperson,” adding, “Should there not be an independent investigation in the paper leak scam? Time to fix accountability and sack the HRD Minister and the CBSE Chairperson.”
The CBSE recently said it will re-conduct examination in maths and economics papers for Class 10 and Class 12 respectively following the leak.
The Congress also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his book titled, ‘Exam Warriors,’ stating, “As many as 16.38 lakh students took the Class 10 exams, while almost 8 lakh took the Class 12 exams. Are they now 'Re-Exam Warriors' for Modi?”
Adding, “Except for the degree of then HRD Minister (Irani), everything else is leaking in this country. PM Modi is compromising the future of exam warriors and our students.”
