“Politically-biased” Plus-Two question paper withdrawn

A pro-Left teachers association in Kerala has withdrawn a question paper on political science, which it prepared for the Plus-Two mid-term examinations in the State, as it reportedly contained “politically biased” questions, mostly against the Congress.

The paper carried questions like “what was the hidden agenda of Narasimha Rao Government in Ayodhya issue?”, “what were the lessons learnt from the Emergency?” and questions on Article 370 that confers special status on Jammu and Kashmir.

Sources in the academic council of the pro-Left Kerala School Teachers Association, which prepared the paper, said it was withdrawn to “avoid unnecessary controversies” and bother to the LDF government.

The move comes close on the heels of the row sparked by an adverse reference to late State Congress leader Mercy Ravi, wife of Union minister Vayalar Ravi, in a question paper that asked students to write a critical letter to the editor of a daily on “undue” coverage given to her death.

Education Minister M.A. Baby, had last week, expressed regret over the question on Mercy Ravi in the English paper.

The KSTA, however, said it had no direct role in preparing the question paper, which has been withdrawn, as it is done by its academic council that enjoys autonomy on such subjects.

It has been a practice in Kerala for quite some time to outsource preparation of question papers for mid-term examinations to academic wings of recognised teachers associations.