Pune: The Class 10 and 12 examinations conducted by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) are fast approaching. However, a controversy has arisen over the mandatory
installation of CCTV systems at examination centres. The association of educational institutions has demanded that if CCTV installation is mandatory for schools, then providing the necessary funds is the government's responsibility. They have also requested the School Education Minister to cancel the examination centres of schools that do not have CCTV systems and conduct the exams elsewhere.
The association of educational institutions presented the issue of mandatory CCTV installation to the School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse through a memorandum. The memorandum states, "Instructions have been issued to install CCTVs at all examination centres to control malpractices during the Class 10 and 12 board examinations to be held in February-March 2026."
“Despite having complete information on how many schools have CCTVs installed, instead of taking action to deny examination centre status to schools without the system, the government officials have washed their hands of the matter by placing all the responsibility on the school management. The CCTV system is very expensive. It is your responsibility to provide the necessary funds. If this system is not available, you should cancel the examination centers of those schools and conduct the board examinations elsewhere," the association stated in the memorandum.
The association further added, "The government has not provided non-salary grants for the past twelve years. Even the government's own Zilla Parishad and government schools do not have CCTVs installed. Class 10 and 12 examinations were being conducted even without CCTVs. Because malpractices occur in some schools, everyone is being held hostage. The center heads are going to be shuffled. As a result, the appointed center heads will have no information about the school where they are working. Strange and bizarre decisions are being made, such as installing CCTVs. When are teachers supposed to teach the students?" Ravindra Fadnavis told Loksatta, the general secretary of the corporation, criticising that a plan is being hatched to eliminate Marathi-medium schools for the benefit of English-medium schools.
Responding to the development, Trigun Kulkarni, Chairman, MSBSHSE, said, “CCTV systems are installed at 85 per cent of the Class 12 examination centers and 80 per cent of the Class 10 centers. A meeting will be held next week with the headmasters' association and other organizations regarding the installation of the system at the remaining locations. The discussions held so far have been positive. This issue will be resolved in the coming days.”
