JEE qualified boy given six marks in Class XII physics by Bihar board

In what appears to be a classic case of making a mockery of the entire education system in the State, the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) has not only failed students who have qualified in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains but given them 3 or 6 marks in Physics and Chemistry.

These students, who appeared for Bihar Intermediate (also called Class XIIth) exams were seething with rage over callous attitude of officials of BSEB, which conducts the examination.

Anuj Kumar was one of the 500 Intermediate students protesting in front of the BSEB office here. He had a genuine grievance. He has qualified the JEE (Mains) and appeared for JEE (Advanced). Anuj hoped if not the IITs, he would get admission in at least the NITs. But lo and behold, the boy who scored 85 in JEE (Mains), has been given just six marks in Physics, six in Chemistry and 65 in Maths in the Intermediate exams conducted by the BSEB.

Another student Ravi, who scored 105 in JEE (Mains), has been given three marks in Physics, six in Chemistry and 50 in Maths. Ravi and Anuj are not isolated cases. Sanjeev, who scored 150 in JEE (Mains) and was looking forward to studying in a prestigious engineering institute, was shocked to know that he had secured only two marks in Physics.

As the students protested, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar hurriedly convened a meeting with Education Minister Ashok Choudhary, Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh and other senior officials. A dismayed Nitish gave marching orders to the Education Secretary Jitendra Srivastava and replaced him with another IAS officer Robert L Chongthu.

The BSEB has been asked by the State Government to seek application for scrutiny of marks by aggrieved students from June 3 to June 12 so that all such grievances could be redressed by June-end. And those students who still remain failed in one or two subjects could appear for compartmental examination in July first week.

“I have taken it as a challenge to improve the education system,” said Nitish who has sought a detailed roadmap for revamp of secondary and higher secondary education after the BSEB results showed that around 65 per cent students could not clear their intermediate examinations this year.