Govt probing controversial passage in Goa SSC paper: Official

Panaji : The Education Department of the Goa government is probing how a controversial passage, which implied that it is difficult to get a job in Goa without bribery or influence, was cleared to be included in the English language question paper of the ongoing SSC examinations.

Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Education Secretary Nila Mohanan said that the matter was being examined by the Director of the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education and the office of the state Education Director.

"The matter is being examined by the Goa Board Director and the Education Director. HoDs concerned have been told to work on it. They will take necessary action," Mohanan said.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party had demanded disciplinary action against the paper-setter and supervisory officer responsible for the gaffe, saying that those responsible should be debarred from question paper-setting exercises henceforth.

The passage, which is a part of a grammer-related question, implied that because jobs are difficult to come by in Goa because of bribery and nepotism, local youth were forced to migrate abroad for better prospects. The passage featured in the English language question paper for which nearly 11,000 SSC students appeared on Saturday.

Defending the controversial contents in the question paper, the Congress in Goa claimed that the passage reflected the "sorry reality" of corruption in government appointments in the state.