Agartala: Feb 02: In a recent development, Opposition leader Manik Sarkar has issued a stern warning to the Chairman of the Tripura Board of Secondary Education (TBSE) and the center supervisors overseeing the upcoming Madhyamik and Higher Secondary examinations. Sarkar’s threat of legal action comes in response to a contentious verbal announcement made by the TBSE chairman.
Addressing the media during a press conference held at the assembly, Sarkar highlighted the issue. According to him, Chairman Dhananjay Ganchowdhury convened a meeting with center supervisors responsible for invigilating the crucial examinations. During this meeting, the chairman explicitly instructed that students appearing for the exams should not write their answers in Roman script under any circumstances. Furthermore, he directed the center supervisors to enforce this directive rigorously.
Sarkar expressed deep concern over this instruction, emphasizing that it deviates from the existing practice. Historically, students have been allowed to write their answers either in Bengali or Roman script. The sudden shift in policy has raised eyebrows and prompted Sarkar’s strong reaction.
Interestingly, the supervisors present at the meeting requested written instructions from the chairman instead of relying solely on verbal communication.
The pivotal question now centers around the legal basis for the chairman’s threat to file cases against supervisors if answers are submitted in Roman script. Sarkar pointedly questioned the specific section under which such legal action would be pursued.
Additionally, Sarkar highlighted a contradiction. While the chairman claims that the board lacks the infrastructure to evaluate answer sheets written in Roman script, Sarkar reminded everyone that just a few years ago, students routinely wrote their exams using this script. The role of state teachers in assessing those answer sheets during that period remains a pertinent query.
Lastly, Sarkar drew attention to the chief minister’s assertion that the state does not have a specific script policy. In light of this, the chairman’s actions, including invoking the chief minister’s name, have raised eyebrows and sparked debate.
As the situation unfolds, the educational community awaits further clarity on this matter, and the chairman’s decision-making process will undoubtedly come under scrutiny.
