Nepal

Province 2 SEE candidates protest cancellation of two consecutive tests

Province 2 SEE candidates protest cancellation of two consecutive tests

By THT Online

Security personnel deployed after students resorted to vandalism (above); tyres set on fire in the middle of a road, in Birgunj, on Friday, March 29, 2019. Photo: Ram Sarraf/THT

KATHMANDU: The Secondary Education Examination (SEE) candidates have protested the cancellation of Social Studies exam scheduled for today in Province 2. This is the second cancellation of a test in a row as the Science exam was cancelled in the same manner yesterday after question paper leakage. According to Superintendent of Police (SP) Shekhar Khanal at Dhanusha District Police Office, the National Education Board (NEB) cancelled the test after leakage of Social Studies question paper through social networking sites including Facebook in Janakpur last night. Yesterday, the test was cancelled after the question paper was leaked in Saptari district through Facebook. However, the leakage of question paper has not affected the exempted and technical candidates for SEE in the province as their question papers differ from the regular ones. Meanwhile, the test for exempted and technical candidates of Province 2 is underway in two centres at Dhalkebar and Rajaur. Meanwhile, the SEE candidates and students in various districts of Province 2 have staged demonstrations against the cancellation of the test. Vandalisation of exam centres in Saptari has been reported. It has also been learned that a vehicle (Na 1 Ja 7787) was vandalised in Birgunj while the SEE candidates and students obstructed transportation along the East-West Highway at Chandrapur road section in Rautahat district. In Birgunj, agitated students -- who had to return from the exam centres after the test was cancelled -- gathered at Ghantaghar and carried out a protest, including vandalism. According to THT's local reporter in Birgunj, Ram Sarraf, a clash between the students and police personnel ensued during the protest. The situation became tense after the police used water cannon and tear gas shells at the students to control the protest, following which the students threw stones at the police. The agitated students also burned tires and closed down Birgunj Bazaar as a sign of protest. Likewise, in Rautahat, SEE candidates launched protests after students appearing for the examination at 30 centres in the district were sent back after cancellation of the exam. Students carried out protests in Chandranigahapur, Gaur, Durgabhagawati among other places of the district, informed THT's district reporter Prabhat Kumar Jha. Jha further reported that students obstructed the East-West Highway at Chadranigahapur for some time. The highway came into operation again after police intervention. The students also burned tires and chanted slogans in protest at the district headquarters. Students in Province 2 are in a state of confusion after the second question paper of the examination leaked in a row and has raised a question mark on the examination system.