Exam officials removed over question paper distribution error in Alim Examination

The centre secretary and the designated tag officer of an Alim examination centre in Bhurungamari, Kurigram, have been relieved of their duties after being accused of negligence in distributing question papers during the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) equivalent examination.

They have also been served with show-cause notices.

The development was confirmed on Thursday by Bhurungamari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Amrita Debnath.

The two officials are Maulana Md Altaf Hossain, principal of Bhurungamari Fazil Madrasa and secretary of the examination centre, and Saifur Rahman, Academic Supervisor of the Upazila Secondary Education Office, who was serving as the tag officer.

According to officials, during Wednesday's Alim Chemistry First Paper examination for the Science group, an irregular candidate from Nageshwari Kamil Madrasa was mistakenly given the question paper intended for regular candidates. The error was detected nearly an hour after the examination began when the UNO visited the centre.

Authorities later collected the correct question paper for the irregular candidate from a neighbouring upazila, and the candidate was allowed additional time to complete the examination.

Following a preliminary inquiry, officials found evidence of negligence in carrying out examination duties. As a result, both the centre secretary and the tag officer were relieved of their responsibilities and asked to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against them.

Meanwhile, Senior Teacher Maulana Mahbubul Alam has been appointed as the new centre secretary.

However, Principal Altaf Hossain denied responsibility, claiming that the question papers designated for irregular candidates had not been supplied to the examination centre.

He said that although the examination centre had been changed under the centre exchange system, the relevant authorities failed to provide the required question papers.

Under the centre exchange arrangement, candidates from Nageshwari Kamil Madrasa are sitting their Alim examinations at Bhurungamari Fazil Madrasa, while candidates from Bhurungamari Fazil Madrasa are taking their exams at the Nageshwari centre.