Govt to take action against OAV teachers, staff for malpractice in CBSE exams | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: State govt has taken strong exception to the use of unfair means in CBSE Class X and XII examinations at Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas (OAV)s in Bargarh district. A probe conducted by the CBSE revealed large-scale malpractice in two exam centres of OAV Bandupali, and privately-run Padampur Public School, where students of six schools, including four OAVs in Bargarh district, appeared for their papers. Terming the incident “a serious breach of academic integrity”, the govt has decided to take stringent action against teachers and staff found involved in malpractice.“Use of unfair means in examinations is an injustice to honest, hard-working students and adversely affects their future. The state govt is committed to zero tolerance for the use of all such unfair means in examinations,” an official govt statement read. The govt confirmed that disciplinary proceedings will be initiated against those identified in the CBSE inquiry report.The school and mass education department has also backed the CBSE’s recommendations to strengthen infrastructure at examination centres, including mandatory CCTV coverage in all OAVs before the 2026 exams, to prevent such incidents. If disciplinary action is not taken against the principal of OAV, Bandupali, and invigilators from all four OAV schools, then the list of candidates of the four OAVs will not be allowed to be submitted, the CBSE report said.A total of 1,185 students from the six schools appeared for the exams, of whom 885 were found to have used unfair means. The students will be allowed to take the supplementary exam beginning on July 15 or reappear in the board exams in 2026 as per CBSE rules. The OAVs included the ones in Frezorpur, Kangaon and Gaisilat.OAVs are state-run CBSE-affiliated schools set up in each block to deliver quality education in rural areas. The exam malpractice has raised questions about oversight, lack of integrity and equal opportunity provided by OAVs.Former president of Board of Secondary Education (BSE), Odisha, Satyakam Mishra, said, “It is unfortunate that OAV students are setting such a bad precedent by engaging in unfair means and teachers promoting it. It indicates a lack of proper administration and supervision in OAVs. State govt had set up OAVs on the lines of Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas of the Centre, which have set high standards in academics and administration.” “BSE has the provision to set up English medium schools and there was no need to institute a separate Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya Sangathan to manage these schools,” he added.
