Mumbai: HSC result goof-up leaves student running from pillar to post

The first mark sheet which shows that the student scored 18 out of 100 in Book Keeping and Accountancy; (Right) Sushmita Kori and the mark sheet with her correct results

After months of sleepless nights, Sushmita Kori was ecstatic to learn that she had actually scored 65 marks in a subject that she had ‘failed' earlier. Now Kori must fight a new battle: getting admission to the college of her choice, as seats in most city colleges have been filled.

When the HSC results were declared on May 25, Kori a student of RD National College, Bandra, was declared eligible for re-exam. As per her mark sheet, she had scored only 18 out of 100 in Book Keeping and Accountancy, a core subject. On June 6, Kori applied for the verification of her marks. However, the board replied to her, saying that her results were correct according to the evaluation of her answer paper. "After I applied for revaluation, I received the state board's reply on June 23 that the marks were correct. This was disheartening, and the very idea that I failed was not seeping into my mind. I was sure about what I wrote and it was not possible that I had failed," Kori told mid-day.

The Book Keeping and Accountancy exam is conducted in the 80:20 format where the written exam accounts for 80 marks and an application-based test (internal assessment), 20. Kori had scored 17 out of 20 in the internal assessment. She was baffled, so she wondered how she could score just one mark out of 80. "I knew this wasn't possible. So I decided to meet the board officials personally. Thanks to the principal of my college, who sought an appointment, board officials agreed to meet us. I went to the state board's Vashi office along with my uncle. The officials were angry and told me the board cannot goof up and I should not accuse them of making such a mistake," Kori said.

To prove that they were right, Dr Subhash Borse, secretary of the Mumbai divisional board of Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) showed her the answer sheet, stating that she could see for herself. After getting hold of the answer paper, Kori was lost for a minute, then she realised that it wasn't her paper. "The officials were then so angry. They even threatened to report me to the police. I was scared but I was sure about this. It wasn't my paper. Later they agreed to look into this and get back to me," said Kori. Distraught, scared and confused, Kori contacted the NGO Maharashtra State Student-Parent Teacher Federation, which advised her to file an RTI query seeking a photocopy of all her answer sheets.

Nitin Dalvi, a Maharashtra State Student-Parent Teacher Federation representative and educational activist, said, "This case came out as the girl did not give up and was sure about herself. I now suspect there might be many other cases where students may have failed due to such errors on the part of the board, which never come to light. In this case, the girl faced three traumatic months, seeking clarity. The board has to tender an apology letter to the student and her parents for what they made her face. We will now help her seek admission."

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On August 14, the board officials called Kori to the Vashi office asked her to submit the previous results and handed over the new rectified mark sheet to her. While the old mark sheet showed her score as 51 per cent, the new one revealed she had, in fact, scored 59 per cent. "I want to pursue a BCom in LS Raheja College in Santacruz. I will be visiting the college on Thursday. I really hope to get admission there," she said.

Dr Borse conceded that there was an error in the mark sheet. He told mid-day, "This was an error due to wrong barcodes. The problem occurred at the student's exam centre. Our priority was to ensure that the student was genuine, following which we traced her answer paper and rectified her marks. We will now issue a notice to the exam centre, where the error occurred and seek an explanation from them."

He added, "Such cases come up almost every year. We verify cases and take action against those responsible. The girl should not worry about admissions. She can try at the college of her choice or even the same college where she completed her HSC. Every year we conduct re-exams in July and declare the results in September to ensure students do not lose the academic year. The results of the re-exam are yet to come. These students, too, get admissions. So, the girl need not worry, now that she has got the rectified mark sheet."

May 25
Day HSC results were declared