Minister blames schools for Assam class 11 paper leak

Assam's Education Minister, Ranoj Pegu, addressed the recent leak of class 11 question papers during an assembly meeting. He stated that the leak did not involve the state board but occurred at the school level. Pegu explained that schools received the question papers early. However, some schools opened the seals before the scheduled exam dates. As a result, exams for all 36 subjects scheduled from March 24 to 29 have been canceled. Some lawmakers, including Congress MLA Abdur Rashid Mandal, criticized the Assam State School Education Board (ASSEB) for failing to safeguard the examinations. Mandal called for the removal of the board's chief, RC Jain, and suggested that Pegu should take moral responsibility for the issue. The minister confirmed that the leaks were traced back to 15 schools, including 12 private institutions and three government-affiliated schools. He announced that these schools have had their affiliations suspended and will not be allowed to enroll new students. Pegu emphasized the need for a policy change regarding how class 11 exams are conducted, especially in private schools, which also serve as centers for entrance tests. A new exam schedule will be issued after the panchayat elections.