Board Clears Students in SSC Sheet Incident, Penalizes Teacher

A probe by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education has cleared two Class VI students of improperly evaluating Class X Marathi answer sheets, determining they only drew lines on blank pages at a school in Satara district. The teacher involved, however, faces penalties for handing the materials to unauthorized individuals, officials confirmed on March 13.

The incident unfolded at Uttareshwar High School in Vidani village, Phaltan taluka, about 100 kilometers from Pune. A video that circulated widely on social media captured the two schoolgirls, both around 11 years old, sitting with teacher Vaibhav Shende as he handled a bundle of answer sheets from the Secondary School Certificate examinations. The footage, reportedly recorded by a local resident, showed the students in a classroom setting with the documents, prompting immediate concerns about breaches in the evaluation process.

The Kolhapur Divisional Board, which oversees Satara, launched an investigation shortly after the video surfaced. A team visited the school, reviewed details including potential CCTV footage, and interviewed those involved. "Our investigation has revealed the two Class VI...