Mahendra Kumar, Dy Director of Education
In order to control the menace of the cheating mafia in the Uttar Pradesh, this time state government under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took tough measures including installation of CCTV cameras in and around examination centres and CM himself personally monitoring the entire UP Board examinations.
The steps came as a sign of relief for hard-working students.
To know more about it, India TV’s Anurag Kumar has an in-depth exclusive conversation with Mahendra Kumar, Deputy Director of Education (Services 1) Director of Education, Allahabad.
Here are important excerpts from the interview:
Q1) How differently you see this year’s board examinations compared to previous years?
Mahendra Kumar: Honestly speaking, the way this year board examinations were conducted is the proper way of holding the exams. I completely support the way the state government conducted the exams this year. We used technology to stop the menace of cheating. However, there is still more scope. With the help of more networking, we can make the CCTV online so that any person can see.
However, I’m very glad that the government has taken these steps to prevent copying.
Q2) To what extent UP Board was able to control the menace of copying this year?
Mahendra Kumar: In statics, there is a word called “standard error”. 100 per cent success isn’t possible in any system. But the government was able to control is up to 90 percent. So, we were successful almost 100 per cent.
The major effect was of CM Yogi Adityanath’s video conferencing. This was a morale boost.
Q3) Nearly 11 lakh students skipped the UP Board examinations this year. Was it due to the strict action by the state government?
Mahendra Kumar: There are personal reasons because of which students leave exams. But yes, strict action by the state government was the major factor because of which, I think, such large number of students left the exams.
CCTV monitoring was the one major cause.
Q4) This year UP Board has decided to show the answer sheets of topper candidates. Your comments.
Mahendra Kumar: It is necessary for transparency. The more the system is open the better it is. We should have done it earlier. We are doing it lately.
Q5) What new measure(s) UP education system is taking, if any?
Mahendra Kumar: We are making the recognition process online. And as far as I know, old records are being digitalised.
Plus, UP has completely adopted National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) syllabus.
I personally believe that education system in the country should be given more priority. Education is the base for the development of any country. The more educated the citizen…the more developed is the country.
The syllabus all over India should be same. It will help in the national level examination.
We have improved on the quantitative level in the education system but now we should give more emphasis on quality. We can do that by introducing Indian Educational Services, by filling the vacant post of teachers, by providing government support to self-financed teachers among other measures.
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