After a picture of a sample question from Class 10 went popular on social media, asking pupils to mark “Azad Kashmir” on a map, a political dispute broke out in West Bengal, with the opposition BJP calling it a “jihadi scheme.” Pakistan refers to the western region of the state under its control as “Azad,” or “free Kashmir.” India refers to this area as Kashmir that is occupied by Pakistan (PoK). Since 1947, it has been a contentious topic between the two countries.In contrast, the TMC, which is currently in power, called it a mistake that it “doesn’t support” and claimed that the party does not believe in “appeasing” any single community.
A Bengali-medium school’s activity book contained the test for those aiming for the Madhyamik. The students were required to locate many locations on the map for the paper, including the battleground in Chittagong, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (also known as “Azad Kashmir” in Pakistan), and the location where Gandhiji launched the Satyagraha campaign.
Subhas Sarkar, the Union Minister of State (MoS) for Education, promised to look into the situation and make the proper judgement. It shouldn’t happen, he said. The paper-setter supports terrorism and is anti-national. He should write to the State’s Education Minister, and this exam paper cell should
Ramanuj Ganguly, the president of the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education, claimed that the autonomous body’s test papers contained a “goof up,” and they were simply printed for use by students throughout the state.
