New Curriculum: Questions of half-yearly exams ‘leaked’

The question papers and their answers to the half-yearly assessment for classes 6 to 9 have been allegedly leaked on social media before the exams.

The recently introduced assessment process began yesterday involving approximately one crore students.

The leaked questions, centrally prepared by the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB), were found to be identical to those used in yesterday's assessments.

Prof Md Moshiuzzaman, acting chairman of the NCTB, admitted that the papers had been found on social media.

"These [question papers] were sent directly to the IDs of the headteachers around noon before the exam. Unfortunately, these questions were shared by the headteachers, leading to their distribution among the students."

"You can't call it a question paper leak," he said, explaining that during last year's evaluation, such papers were published on the official website about two weeks before the exams.

"As the evaluation process is activity-based, students won't get any advantage, even if they get the questions a week in advance. They have to perform and do tasks in front of their teachers during the evaluation," he said.

Regarding steps taken to address the leak, he said an urgent notice has been issued to headteachers, warning of strict action against anyone found responsible for future leaks.

Sources said NCTB sends the question papers only to school headteachers through the "Noipunno" app. Only the headteachers have access to this app to maintain records of each student's progress.

The headteachers then download, photocopy, and distribute the question papers to students.

The new curriculum, introduced last year for the first, sixth, and seventh grades, has been expanded this year to the second, third, eighth, and ninth grades. The curriculum aims to bring significant changes to both teaching and assessment methods.