The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) is to yet form a committee to re-look into the old rule of not allowing the students to apply for reassessment of their answersheets.

The state education minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil on July 25 in Pune had assured to set up a committee of MSBSHSE officials to re-look into the present rule of revaluation and make necessary changes. He had said that the MSBSHSE would be given the task to review the other old rules too. However, the board has not kept its promise.

Chairman of MSBSHSE Vijaysheela Sardesai has confirmed that the board was yet to form such a committee. Incidentally, most of the other state boards in the country have amended their old rules.

The issue of allowing students a chance of revaluation had come to the fore after a historic order by state information commissioner Vijay Kuvalekar on July 23. The order had mentioned that answersheets of HSC and SSC should be made available for students to see if they demand it. However, the question was raised that if the student sees the answersheet and finds that his answer matches with the model answer, will his/her answersheet be reassessed?

As per the 30-year-old rules of the MSBSHSE, reassessment is not allowed. At present, the board only does verification of marks, as there is not enough manpower to do revaluation. Kuvalekar in his order had mentioned this anomaly saying, "The board should not create walls of secrecy just because it has not enough manpower."

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