Bhubaneswar: Several Matric pass-outs and their guardians staged protests in Cuttack, Puri, Khurda, Ganjam and Bhadrak districts against alleged faulty evaluation by the Board of Secondary Education (BSE).
In Cuttack city, the protesters staged a gherao of the teachers of Saraswati Sishu Mandir near College Square and demanded re-evaluation of examination papers.
A girl student told the media that as per the alternative evaluation method, the BSE should have awarded them the same marks they had secured in the pre-Board exams. Instead, it has awarded less marks to them, she said.
The students also alleged that there was a discrepancy between the marks awarded by the BSE and those awarded by the CBSE and CISCE to private school students.
When asked about the discrepancy, teachers said it was for the Board to take a call on this matter.
Students and guardians also staged a protest at Salepur in Cuttack district.
A similar protest was reported in Puri where students and guardians demonstrated in front of the Saraswati Sishu Mandir at Madhuban Road and demanded re-evaluation of papers.
Following a complaint by the students, Puri Collector Samarth Verma directed the District Education Officer (DEO) to list out the grievances of the students for a thorough review.
In Bhubaneswar, the students of a government school at Brahmeswarpatna staged a road blockade.
Till reports last came in, BSE officials said they will have a meeting with the students and guardians later in the day to resolve the issue.