MCQs to be dumped from public examinations to stop question leaks

The state minister for education has said the authorities will phase out multiple-choice questions or MCQs from public examinations to tackle the menace of question paper leaks.

Taking the floor in Parliament on Monday to speak on the president's speech, Kazi Keramat Ali said, "We will gradually remove the MCQ section in the question paper, so there will be no scope for leaks."

Scammers have leaked out all the questions on Facebook groups and mobile apps during the ongoing SSC examinations.

The authorities were mulling over throttling the internet speed to make it difficult for the scamsters to share the leaked questions but backtracked on Monday in the face of public outcry.

At least 14 people, including a number of SSC candidates, have been arrested in the drive to stop leaks.

A teacher in Gazipur has been caught while he was allegedly taking a paper out of the exam centre. The authorities have also announced cash reward for anyone who can give a lead to catch the culprits.

The 50-mark MCQ was first introduced in 1992 but the mark allocation has been reduced later.

The education secretary is also in favour of removing MCQ section from the question papers.

Keramat Ali told Parliament, "A clique is out there to embarrass the government by leaking the question papers. A number of them have already been arrested."

Reacting to the state minister's speech, Nurul Islam Milon of Jatiya Party said, "Leaking question papers is a regular event now. It is beyond authorities' control.

“I will not say it's a total failure (of the government), but the department is deficient of honest and bold administrators."

"The education boards have become the hub of corruption. (They) can't stop question leaks. The coaching business is also responsible for this situation.

“(The government) should find out honest and competent people and appoint them to the education sector," Milon suggested.