Shield for exam 'whistleblower'...Cops visit Jalpaiguri headmaster's colleague

TT, Jalpaiguri: A police team on Saturday visited the house of Biswajit Roy, the teacher of Mainaguri Subhash Nagar High School who claimed to have clicked photos of headmaster Haridayal Roy opening Madhyamik question papers before time.

Sanjoy Dutta, the inspector-in-charge of Mainaguri police station, went to Roy's house and spoke with him and his family members.

"The visit was a part of investigation as the teacher has filed a complaint with us. Also, our officials checked out safety arrangements at his home," said an official.

Biswajit, while speaking to the media, said he is getting cooperation from the administration and the police.

"But the teachers who had solved the question papers are now staying away. Some others teachers are also not coming at the school and avoiding me. They are denying the facts now. I have complete confidence on the board (WBBSE) but a feeling of insecurity is running deep among each member of my family," the teacher said.

Roy had shot a video and had informed the sub-inspector of schools that Haridayal Roy, headmaster of the school, has opened packets of question papers of the Madhyamik examination ahead of schedule every day.

He had also engaged teachers of concerned subjects to solve questions before the exams and had relayed the answers to some students of the school who appeared in Madhyamik so that they can score good marks, Biswajit had alleged.

The headmaster however, has denied the allegations. He has in fact, sent lawyer's notice to Biswajit and to Biswanath Bhowmik, the sub-inspector of schools posted in Mainaguri.

Sources said the geography teacher, who had allegedly solved the question ahead of the exam - the headmaster had purportedly provided her the question and had asked her to solve it - is also away from her rented accommodation in Mainaguri.

Meanwhile, the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE), that conducts the higher secondary exams, has removed Haridayal from his responsibilities.

"His school is one of the main venues for higher secondary exams (to start from March 27) in Mainaguri. However, after the recent incidents, he has been relieved from his responsibilities," said Gajendra Nath Roy, the assistant sub-inspector of schools of Jalpaiguri.

Sources said Niranjan Adhikari, assistant headmaster of the school, has been assigned with the responsibility of venue in-charge.

Due to this decision, Haridayal will not be allowed to enter in any examination centre, said sources.

The education department has also decided to install CCTV cameras and carry out video recording of the examination and related proceedings in 23 schools located in and around Mainaguri to prevent any malpractice, an official said.

"Also, there are three main venues in Mainaguri. In each venue, a sub-inspector of schools would be posted to monitor the examination," he added.

In another development, father of a Class X student of the school whose name figured in the conversation between Biswajit Roy and Biswanath Bhowmik (the SI of schools), filed a complaint with police against them and another teacher. Biswajit had referred the boy's name to the SI over phone and mentioned that the headmaster is providing solved answers to him ahead of the exams.