Two edu officials suspended in MP

Bhopal, March 7

The Opposition BJP on Saturday hit out at the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh after a Class X question paper of the state board referred to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as Azad Kashmir. The term appeared in the social science paper of the Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE), the exam for which was conducted on Saturday morning.

Azad Kashmir is the term used by Pakistan to refer to the PoK. After the controversy broke out, two officials were suspended on the directives of Chief Minister Kamal Nath, an MPBSE official said. The two questions were also cancelled. One of the questions asked the candidates to identify “Azad” Kashmir on the map. The term also occurred in a match-a-pair question.

State BJP spokesperson Rajnish Agrawal said, “Has MP’s Congress regime recognised Azad Kashmir?” He also demanded that a sedition case be registered against those responsible for this gaffe.

Congress spokesperson Narendra Saluja said the CM expressed anger over the incident. An MPBSE official said the paper setter and the moderator were suspended and disciplinary action would be taken against them. The questions were cancelled and the social science paper would thus carry 90 instead of 100 marks, he added. — PTI

Response sought

New Delhi: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has sought explanation from the Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education. Commission’s chairman Priyank Kanoongo said this seems to be a criminal offence. PTI