Education officials clarify that there was no intention to hurt religious sentiments and term the incident an ‘unfortunate oversight’
RAIPUR — A multiple-choice question in a school examination in Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund district has triggered a major controversy after “Ram” was allegedly listed as one of the options for naming a dog.
The question appeared in the half-yearly exam held on January 7 and asked Class 4 students to identify the name of “Mona’s dog” with options being “Bala,” “Sheru,” “No One” and “Ram.” A photograph of the question paper soon surfaced on social media, sparking widespread outrage and accusations of causing hurt to religious sentiments of a section of society.
Several organisations and Hindu groups condemned the inclusion of the name “Ram,” which is revered by millions as a sacred figure, calling it an insult to religious beliefs.
The Hindu organisations held protests in front of the District Education Officer (DEO), with Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) district head Harshwardhan Chandrakar seeking the arrest and dismissal of those who prepared the question paper and sought a public apology from education authorities.
“Such questions in exams are inappropriate and deeply offensive to religious sentiments,” Chandrakar added.
After the sharp criticism, Deputy Education Officer Vijay Kumar Lahre expressed regret and assured that such incidents would not be repeated.
“The relevant question was selected and sent for printing, but instead of that question paper, a different one was printed. Owing to the confidentiality of examination papers, the issue came to light only after the paper was opened at the examination centre,” he explained.
As soon as the matter came to our notice, the concerned option was immediately removed and replaced with a new one, he said. There was no intention to hurt religious sentiments, he said, adding that all efforts would be made to strengthen the examination process.
Meanwhile, the school administration also clarified that there was no intention to hurt religious sentiments and termed the incident an “unfortunate oversight,” according to media reports.
The incident once again underscores the sensitivity surrounding religious symbols and names in educational content, and has reignited the debate on the need for greater checks and balances in the preparation of examination papers. — With inputs from PTI
