Raipur: It was supposed to be a routine class IV mid-term English exam in Chhattisgarh. However, one particular question, with multiple choices, triggered a row and the issue spiralled into a statewide controversy.
The question paper, set in government schools in multiple districts of Raipur division, asked: ‘What is Mona’s dog’s name?’ The four options were — ‘Bala’, ‘Sheru’, ‘Ram’, and ‘no one is mentioned’.
After the exam on January 6, images of the question paper surfaced online and went viral in no time.
Hindu organisations objected to the inclusion of ‘Ram’ as a pet’s name, saying it hurt religious sentiments.
As criticism over multiple-choice question paper — which was distributed in schools across Balodabazar, Bhatapara, Mahasamund, Dhamtari and Gariaband distr
icts — grew, the state’s Education department ordered an inquiry to trace how the ‘Ram’ option had appeared in the paper.
The probe found that the question paper was prepared under the Samagra Shiksha scheme. The task had been assigned to Sampada Bose, Assistant Project Coordinator, who arranged for the paper to be drafted by a panel of five teachers.
The investigation zeroed in on Shikha Soni, Head Teacher at Government Primary School, Nakti (Khapri), Tilda, as the paper-setter, and Namrata Verma, a contractual assistant teacher at SEGES Higher Secondary School, Fafadih, Raipur, as the moderator.
Despite both teachers submitting written explanations and apologising, the Education department has suspended the headmistress who prepared the paper and initiated action against the moderator teacher, who faces possibility of being fired.
Soni said in her statement that intended to type ‘Ramu’, but the letter ‘u’ was mistakenly omitted, resulting in ‘Ram’ getting printed. She said it was an unintentional error, and apologised. Moderator Namrata said the options in the set she received were retained “as they were”, and that she overlooked the mistake during moderation.