Bungling in evaluation: Bihar board to barcode answersheets

In a bid to clamp down on bungling in evaluation works and managing answersheets, the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) would introduce bar coding of answer sheets and develop pre and post examination software with barcoding system soon.

The proposal, which was mulled for a long time, finally got approval of BSEB’s governing body at its Monday meeting.

“The process would be introduced in matriculation, intermediate examinations and Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET). We will release tender for it on Tuesday and are planning to introduce it from the next scheduled examination,” said BSEB chairman Anand Kishor.

He said the move would curb lobbying for increasing marks during evaluation, as it would minimise human intervention regarding where copies are being sent for evaluation.

The governing body also approved the proposal to conduct compartmental examination for the first time of students who failed in one subject in intermediate.

“Intermediate students failing in one subject would get three attempts, one the same year, one in scheduled annual examination next year and third in compartmental examination in July that year. Questions would be asked from syllabi of corresponding year of examination,” said Kishor.

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The intermediate compartmental examinations and TET examinations would possibly be conducted by November and December, respectively, and have barcoding system, he added.

Approval for restructuring BSEB by creating three independent wings, one each under BSEB secretary, examination controller and director (academic), forming 21 posts in the wings, establishing examination centres in nine divisions at an estimated cost of Rs. 147.11 crores, renovation of decrepit portions in BSEB and intermediate council premises and others was also given at the meeting.

“The examination centres in each division would house examinees of sensitive centres in the division and would also function as evaluation centres and strong rooms,” said Kishor.

Locations were ear marked in all nine divisions to establish examination centres, Kishor added.

Patna division: Shastrinagar boys’ school, Patna. Magadh: Harid as Seminary, Gaya. Bhagalpur: Jaglal High School, Bhagalpur. Munger: High School, Vasudevpur, Munger. Purnia: District School, Purnia. Saharsa: District School, Saharsa. Darbhanga: District School, Darbhanga. Muzaffarpur: BB Collegiate School, Muzaffarpur. Saran: B Seminary High School, Chapra.

Besides Kishor and BSEB secretary Anup Kumar Sinha, director (higher education) RPS Ranjan, District Institute of Education and Training, Gaya, principal Ratna Ghosh, TMBU, Bhagalpur pro-VC Awadh Kishor Rai, BNMU, Madhepura pro-VC Jai Prakash Jha and Patna University examination controller, RK Mandal attended the meeting.