Maharashtra HSC Exam Answer Sheets Destroyed By Fire At Teacher’s Home, Case Registered – News18

Last Updated:March 15, 2025, 10:16 IST

The Maharashtra State Board prohibits moderators from carrying answer sheets to their homes. An investigation is underway.

A fire at a teacher’s residence in Virar has resulted in the destruction of 175 Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) answer sheets. The incident occurred on the afternoon of March 10 when the teacher’s house caught fire, reported Times of India. Although neighbors extinguished the fire before the fire brigade’s arrival, many answer sheets were irreparably damaged.

The affected answer sheets belonged to students from the commerce section, specifically the class 12 Organisation of Commerce and Management exam held on February 15. The teacher, Priya Rodrigues, who works at Utkarsh Vidyalaya and Junior College in Virar, had reportedly taken the papers home.

Fire personnel from the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation confirmed that the fire originated on a sofa where the answer sheets were kept. The police were informed and a case has been registered against Rodrigues and the school principal, Mugdha Lele, for violating exam protocol by taking the papers home.

The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education prohibits moderators from removing answer sheets from designated locations. An investigation is underway.

The HSC exams are being conducted from February 11 to March 18, 2025.

Meanwhile, there has been confusion regarding the minimum passing marks for class 10 Mathematics and Science. As per the latest information by the Maharashtra board, students must secure 35 marks in each subject to pass in the current academic session.

While the Final State Curriculum Framework (SCF-SE) for School Education previously lowered the minimum passing marks from 35 to 20 as per the National Education Policy (NEP) guidelines, this change will not apply to the current year.