Leak during exam: Govt looks to tame tuition centres

The state government is keeping an eagle eye on tuition centres ahead of Pre-University (PU) examinations scheduled to be held from March 4, 2020 to March 23.

The vigil follows complaints that PU college faculties, who take tuition for students, may turn to subject experts preparing question papers for “effective” coaching.

The unholy nexus was a concern in the past too, with the tutorial mafia being blamed for question paper leaks.

The matter was taken up at a recent meeting of the previous directors of the department of Pre-University Education chaired by Education Minister S Suresh Kumar. “It was even discussed to shut down these tutorials and tuition centres 15 days prior to the annual examination,” sources who attended the meeting told DH.

Tracking tuition

Sources said the minister has already held a meeting with Central Crime Branch (CCB) officials and directed them to keep an eye on tuition and tutorial centres across the state, especially in cities like Bengaluru, Mangaluru and Mysuru where their numbers are more.

“CCB officials have even been requested to carry out raids on such centres,” a senior PU Board official said.

A few directors, who had served on the board, told the education minister that many tutorials are in touch with subject experts to gain insights into the possible type of questions.

“They advised the minister to verify why students attending private tuition pass out in flying colours while those taught by the same teachers at colleges fail to get the desired results,” an official said.

An IAS officer and a former director of the PU board had admitted a few years ago that the tutorial mafia in the state was behind the leak of question papers.

There were also instances when tutorials made students stay at the centres the whole night to coach them for next day’s examination.

“Objections were raised about such tutorials and it was decided to issue an order to shut down such centres 15 days prior to exams,” the official said.