Goa SSC exam controversy: Board gives panel 8-10 days to complete probe

The executive committee of the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary education, has found "prima facie" relevance in the statement made in the controversial English language paper of the recently-concluded SSC exam, Board chairman Ramakrishna Samant said on Friday.

Speaking to reporters, Samant also said that a four-member investigation committee comprising mostly of school headmasters, which was appointed to probe the alleged gaffe in the English paper a question suggested rampant corruption in Goa as the reason for youngsters from the state looking to migrate abroad had been given 8 to 10 days to submit a final report to the Board.

"The executive committee is of the opinion that there is some prima facie relevance in the statement which is made in the English paper," Samant said.

"The executive committee has taken a decision to give some more time to the (investigating) committee 8-10 days to present more facts and more investigation. They have taken statements of all the teachers (involved in the paper setting process)," Samant said. Paper setters and chief paper setters, who were involved in formulating the question paper have been questioned by the investigation committee.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party had demanded disciplinary action against the paper setters and supervisory officer responsible for the gaffe and said that those responsible should be debarred from question paper-setting exercises henceforth.

The passage, which was a part of a grammer-related question, implied that jobs are difficult to come by in Goa because of bribery and nepotism involved and therefore local youngsters were forced to migrate abroad for better prospects. The passage was featured in the English language question paper for which nearly 11,000 SSC students appeared for on May 23.

Defending the controversial contents in the question paper, the Congress in Goa had claimed that the passage reflects the "sorry reality" of corruption in government appointments in the state.

( With inputs from IANS )