11 March,2023 07:50 AM IST | Mumbai | Dipti Singh
A classroom with narrow benches and desks and an asbestos roof
The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) has decided to change the exam centre of 170 SSC students who were allotted seating in Ganesh Vidyalaya, which is situated bang in the middle of noisy shanties and shops and lacks sufficient fans and ventilation. The move came after a Shiv Sena legislator raised the matter in the assembly on Friday, prompting School Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar to change the exam centre; mid-day had reported the issue in its edition dated March 10.
The matter came to light when the principal of the Dadar Parsee Youth Assembly High School wrote to Dr Subhash Borse, secretary of MSBSHSE, Mumbai Division, on Thursday seeking a change of exam centre. A total of 20 of 170 affected students are from Dadar Parsee Youth Assembly school. According to parents who did not wish to be identified, the centre allotted to their wards at Ganesh Vidyalaya does not have proper infrastructure. There are not enough fans, and desks are narrow and have holes, making it inconvenient to write on.
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After being approached by a few parents, members of Yuva Sena, too, visited the school and found the situation as mentioned in the school's complaint letter. "After receiving a cold response from Dr Borse, we sought intervention from Shiv Sena MLC Vilas Potnis. He raised the matter in the assembly and the education minister himself assured that the centres would be changed for all 170 students from the next exam," said Pradeep Sawant, Yuva Sena leader and former senate member of Mumbai University.
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On Thursday, Borse told mid-day that there was no need to change the centre. He said he had got an official to inspect the place and the centre in charge was told to make the necessary arrangements to ensure the students were not inconvenienced. After Kesarkar's intervention on Friday, Borse said, "Yes we have decided to change the centre now. All 170 students have been now allotted new exam centres at Don Bosco School and Dadar Parsee Youth Assembly School for the exam from Monday."