Notwithstanding widespread criticism, the class 10 state board examination in Assam will be held with question papers and answer sheets of 2021, a senior official said on Wednesday.

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Through a notification, the Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA) on Monday said that this year's High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) and Assam High Madrassa (AHM) examinations will be held with last year's question papers and answer booklets to cut costs.

The state-controlled SEBA conducts both HSLC and AHM examinations for the matriculation of the students of Assam.

"As the SEBA did not conduct HSLC/AHM examinations in the year 2021 in the manner conducted during pre-COVID period, the question papers and answer booklets prepared in the year 2021 remained unutilised, and are being used for the year 2022, to avoid misuse of natural resources," the notification said.

This decision has led to a huge controversy with the opposition parties and student bodies slamming the SEBA. They argued that 2021 question papers were prepared with 30 per cent reduced syllabus, while the content was announced to be cut by 40 per cent in 2022.

"We have not decided to withdraw the notification. The examination will be held as per schedule with last year's question papers and answer sheets," a senior official of the SEBA told PTI on condition of anonymity.

A total of 4,31,132 students are registered to sit for the matriculation examination this year to be conducted by the SEBA. The HSLC and AHM theory examinations are scheduled to start from March 15 and end on March 31.

The practical examinations of this year are already completed, the SEBA official said.

Following cancellation of the exams in 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic, the results of class 10 board examinations were declared on the basis of a marking formula devised by an expert committee.

The pass percentage last year had zoomed to over 93 per cent from less than 65 percent in 2020, as per the results declared by the SEBA.