Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Feb 22:

The appointment of Cluster Resource Centre Coordinators (CRCCs) as ‘shadow observers’ for the annual High School Certificate (HSC) examinations scheduled to begin in Odisha from Monday, has been criticised by some well-known educationists.

BSESources said that the appointment of CRCCs has been made by the District Education Officers (DEOs) while there is no order on their appointment either by the state government or the Board of Secondary Education (BSE).

The CRCCs, working in the block and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) areas, will keep a watch outside the examination centres. However, they would not be allowed to enter into the examination hall. They will inform the concerned Block Education Officer (BEO) or DEO if any untoward incident takes place at any centre.

As per the directive of the Khurda DEO, CRCCs from the BMC and Bhubaneswar, Jatni, Balipatna and Balianta blocks have been imparted training since Thursday.

As directed by the DEO, the CRCCs would work as observers at the examination centres in their respective cluster areas. Each of the CRCC has been provided with a special badge as identity.

However, resenting the decision, some well-known educationists and intellectuals have said that while the BSE and the state government have made adequate security arrangements for the annual HSC examinations, appointment of these CRCCs, who are in charge of primary education, as observers is unnecessary.

Besides, some CRCCs have expressed their unwillingness to work as observers as they are not permitted to enter into the examination hall.

Asked about this, Khurda DEO Brundaban Satpathy admitted that the CRCCs have not been appointed by the state government or the BSE.

“This is their honourary duty for only two hours after which the CRCCs would do their normal duty in the schools in their respective areas. This is a temporary arrangement which would not affect the primary education,” he pointed out.