Pune, March 13 An investigation by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education into a video showing two Class VI students allegedly helping a teacher check Class X Marathi answer sheets at a school in Satara has found that the two were only drawing lines on the blank pages.
However, it found teacher Vaibhav Shende guilty of handing over answer sheets to unauthorized persons, resulting in the seizure of his payment for the assignment.
The incident occurred at Uttareshwar High School in Vidani village in Phaltan, about 100 kilometers from here, after which the Kolhapur Divisional Board of MSBSHSE began an investigation. In the viral video, two schoolgirls are seen handling answer sheets along with a teacher.
"Our investigation has revealed that the two Class VI students were asked to draw lines on the blank pages of the answer sheets. Our team visited the school today and found that the two students did not assess the papers," said Kolhapur Divisional Board chairperson Rajesh Kshirsagar.
"Teacher Vaibhav Shende was at fault for handing over the answer sheets to unauthorized persons. He has admitted that he handed the papers to the girls without authorization. He is guilty of violating confidentiality," Kshirsagar informed.
Since he violated confidentiality, the entire payment he received for evaluating the papers has been seized, the official added.
The concerned school has been asked to take appropriate action against Shende under the Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools (Conditions of Service) Rules 1981, Kshirsagar said.
"Shende had evaluated 125 Marathi answer sheets. All the papers given to him have been taken back and will be reassessed," he said.
Earlier in the day, Kshirsagar had explained that students appearing for examinations are expected to draw cross lines on blank pages so that no one can write on them later.
