West Bengal: Centre Requests State Government’s Report On The “Azad Kashmir” Test Question
Kolkata, 19th January 2023: The West Bengal Board of Secondary Examination (WBBSE), which recently released a compilation of test papers for a secondary examination, caused controversy in Bengal by including a question on “Azad Kashmir,” and the Center on Wednesday (January 18) requested an explanation from the state government on this matter.
Every year, the WBBSE publishes the test paper collection, which includes questions from several prestigious schools’ Class 10 final test examinations (pre-board). The collection serves as a recommendation for applicants taking the Class 10 board exams.
However, on page 132 of the test paper for this year, there was a question from Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Vidyamandir, Malda, asking pupils to locate “Azad Kashmir” on a map.
A communication from the Union Education Ministry has reportedly reached the state secretariat, asking for an explanation from the West Bengal education department on this matter, according to sources in the state administration.
According to the communiqué, the topic of “Azad Kashmir” is very delicate, and the Union government does not recognise “Pakistan-occupied Kashmir” as “Azad Kashmir.”
A state education department official stated, “The Education Ministry has sought answers from the state government as to how such a delicate topic managed to find a place in the test paper.”
According to sources, the WBBSE has identified and warned a total of nine teachers about the situation.
The headmaster of Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Vidyamandir, whose exam paper contained the contentious question about “Azad Kashmir,” has also received a letter of warning.
