Admission Woes: Students Worried as Matriculation Certificates Carry Mismatched Photos in Odisha

Cuttack: Several students in Odisha’s Cuttack are facing a worrisome situation during the ongoing admission process. Their matriculation certificates reportedly feature photographs of an unknown student, causing distress among the affected students. Shockingly, the same photograph has been found on the certificates of as many as 69 students from Asureswar 5T High School in Nishintakohili block.

The students initially discovered the issue when they received their admit cards for the summative assessment (SA) I, which displayed the photograph of a male student instead of their own. They promptly reported the matter to the school authorities, who assured them that the mistake would be rectified by SA II. However, to their dismay, the same error occurred again on the SA II admit cards.

To address the problem, the authorities instructed the students to bring a passport-sized photo to be pasted on the admit card. They promised that the actual certificates would bear genuine pictures of the students. However, upon collecting their certificates, the students were dismayed to find the male student’s picture instead of their own. This discrepancy has caused complications in the Plus II admission process, as the authorities refuse to accept the certificates with incorrect photographs.

Parents and guardians are deeply concerned about the situation. Ajay Kumar Barik, a guardian, expressed his frustration, stating that the college authorities rejected the certificate, deeming it a duplicate. He even went as far as to claim that he would commit suicide if the original certificate was not provided.

In response to the students’ plight, Nihar Ranjan Mohanty, the vice-president of Odisha BSE, appeared to downplay the issue. He casually remarked that they had not received any such complaints but assured them that any photograph-related errors would be rectified. Mohanty attributed the problem to a potential technical issue in the examination process, given the large number of students involved.

It is clear that the affected students are facing genuine difficulties in the admission process due to the mismatched photographs on their matriculation certificates. Their concerns and distress deserve prompt attention and resolution to ensure a fair and smooth admission process for all students involved.