CBSE exam question on 2002 riots causes stir

CBSE exam question on 2002 riots causes stir

It violated guidelines, says CBSE

02/12/2021

Priscilla Jebaraj NEW DELHI

A question in the Class 12 Board examination of the CBSE on sociology on Wednesday has created a stir. “The unprecedented scale and spread of anti-Muslim violence in Gujarat in 2002 took place under which Government?” asked question no. 23 in the sociology paper. The choices offered to students were: “(a) Congress (b) BJP (c) Democratic (d) Republican.”

“A question has been asked in today’s Class 12 sociology Term 1 exam which is inappropriate and in violation of the CBSE guidelines for external subject experts for setting question papers. The CBSE acknowledges the error made and will take strict action against the responsible persons,” said a statement on the CBSE’s Twitter handle.

Several teachers said the question was within the syllabus. In the textbook “Indian Society”, a chapter on “The challenges of cultural diversity” includes a section on communalism.

“To the extent that Governments can be held responsible for communal riots, no Government or ruling party can claim to be blameless in this regard,” says a paragraph on page 134 of the text approved by the NCERT.

“In fact, the two most traumatic contemporary instances of communal violence occurred under each of the major political parties. The anti-Sikh riots of Delhi in 1984 took place under a Congress regime. The unprecedented scale and spread of anti-Muslim violence in Gujarat in 2002 took place under a BJP Government.”

Another teacher who has previously set questions for the CBSE agreed that the question was within the syllabus, but noted that the Board’s guidelines for examination papers were more restrictive. “Ensure that the questions should be class-neutral, religion-neutral, not touching the controversial, social, political, critical issues under the prevailing conditions in the country,” say the guidelines seen by The Hindu.