Pokhara, December 10

Students have started a relay hunger strike in front of the National Examination Board office in Pokhara accusing the board of negligence in the publication of results of Grade XI Science stream.

Citing that a ‘grave mistake’ on the part of the board had pushed the students’ future towards uncertainty, leaders of student unions have started the protest.

Accusing the board of playing with the future of over 2,739 students of Grade XI from Gandaki Province, students, along with their guardians and various students unions have been agitating for the past few days.

Leaders of Nepal Student Union, All Nepal National Free Student Union, All Nepal National Independent Student Union-Revolutionary, Naya Shakti Student Union joined the protest that started today. They have sought that the answer scripts under question of the subjects concerned be re-examined and the result published promptly.

The students concerned had submitted memorandums to Pokhara Sub-metropolis Mayor Man Bahadur GC, Gandaki Province Social Development Minister Naradevi Pun and the office of chief minister yesterday. They have also prepared to memorandums for the prime minister and the minister of education.

After the NEB published the results of Grade XI in October, students of Kaski had sought retotalling of their marks expressing dissatisfaction with their grade in subjects such as Chemistry, Physics and Maths. Though the result of the retotalling was out, the students said there were nominal changes in the grades and the marks they got earlier and took up agitation.

“Among 2,739 students who had applied for retotalling, only 132 students got new results, that too with hardly any change,” said Pawan Giri, a student, adding that the unjustifiable poor result had given more stress to them.

Hissan Kaski former chairperson Baburam Panta accused NEB of publishing without properly examining the exam scripts. “How is it possible that all the students get ‘D’ and ‘E’ grades only?” he asked. “Even top students have got either D or E grade, which clearly speaks of negligence,” he said.