Problems with School Books and Exams in India

Jul 11, 2026, 15:31
AsiaSociety
A2

Problems with School Books and Exams in India

印度學校教科書與考試的問題

Introduction

The government in India is checking two big problems. One problem is about wrong school books. The other problem is about a stolen exam paper.

印度政府正在調查兩個重大問題。一個是關於教科書內容錯誤，另一個則是關於試卷外洩。

Main Body

In Odisha, 5.3 million students got new books. These books have many mistakes. There are over 1,600 wrong facts. The government stopped the leaders of the book office from working. They want to know why the books are wrong.

在奧里薩邦，530萬名學生領到了新書。然而這些書中有許多錯誤，超過1,600處事實錯誤。政府已停職教科書局的主管，旨在查明教科書出錯的原因。

At the same time, the police checked a big medical exam called NEET. Some people stole the exam questions. Three private workers did this. They gave the answers to some students in a house in Pune.

與此同時，警方調查了一場名為NEET的大型醫科考試。部分人士竊取了考試題目，是由三名私人雇員所為。他們在浦那的一棟房屋中將答案提供給部分學生。

No government workers stole the papers. Now, the police want to change how the government makes exams. They want the exams to be more safe.

並沒有政府職員參與竊取試卷。目前警方希望改變政府出題的方式，以提升考試的安全性。

Conclusion

These two stories show that the schools have big problems. Now, the government wants to fix these problems to help students.

這兩個故事顯示出學校存在重大問題。目前政府希望解決這些問題以幫助學生。

Vocabulary Learning

🔍 The Power of "Wrong" and "Right"

In this text, we see a pattern of Opposites. This is the fastest way to grow your vocabulary for A2.

The Contrast:

  • Wrong (Mistakes) →\rightarrow Right (Correct)
  • Stolen (Taken illegally) →\rightarrow Safe (Protected)

How to use these in real life: If something is not correct, it is wrong.

  • Example: "My phone number in the book is wrong."

If something is not dangerous, it is safe.

  • Example: "Is it safe to walk here at night?"

🛠️ Building Action Sentences

Look at how the text describes the government. It uses a simple Person →\rightarrow Action →\rightarrow Object flow:

  1. The government (Person) →\rightarrow stopped (Action) →\rightarrow the leaders (Object).
  2. The police (Person) →\rightarrow checked (Action) →\rightarrow an exam (Object).

Tip: To speak better English, always start with who is doing the action, then what they did.

Vocabulary Learning

government (n.)
The group of people who rule a country
Example:The government makes new laws for the city.
mistakes (n.)
Things that are not correct
Example:I made some mistakes in my English homework.
facts (n.)
Things that are true
Example:The book has many interesting facts about animals.
stolen (adj.)
Taken by someone without permission
Example:The police found the stolen car.
private (adj.)
Not owned by the government; for a specific person or group
Example:She goes to a private school.
B2

Administrative Failures in Education: Investigations into Odisha Textbooks and NEET Exam Leaks

教育行政失職：奧地沙邦教科書與 NEET 考試洩題調查

Introduction

Indian state and federal authorities have started official investigations into serious failures regarding the distribution of incorrect textbooks in Odisha and the illegal leaking of national exam papers.

印度邦政府與聯邦當局已開始針對奧地沙邦分發錯誤教科書以及國家考試試卷非法洩漏的嚴重失職情況展開正式調查。

Main Body

In Odisha, the government has ordered a Crime Branch investigation into 55 textbooks created for the 2025 school curriculum. This decision followed the discovery of 1,678 factual and grammatical errors in nearly 30 million copies given to about 5.3 million students. Some of the most serious mistakes included incorrect geographical information and false scientific claims. Consequently, the state government has suspended the former director and three assistant directors of the SCERT, suggesting that a conspiracy may have occurred. Experts believe these failures were caused by a rushed 15-month development period, poor review processes, and bad translations of original materials.

在奧地沙邦，政府已命令刑事調查局對 2025 年學校課程的 55 本教科書展開調查。此決定是在分發給約 530 萬名學生的近 3,000 萬本課本中，發現了 1,678 處事實與文法錯誤後作出的。其中最嚴重的錯誤包括地理資訊不正確以及虛假的科學主張。因此，邦政府已停職 SCERT 的前主任及三名助理主任，暗示可能存在陰謀。專家認為，這些失敗是由於 15 個月的開發期過於倉促、審核流程不完善以及對原件的翻譯低劣所導致。

At the same time, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has finished its probe into the NEET UG 2026 paper leak. The findings show that the leak was carried out by private contractors—specifically PV Kulkarni, Manisha Mandhare, and Manisha Havaldar—rather than government employees. Evidence indicates that the suspects used private homes in Pune to share exam questions and answers with certain candidates. Because no government officials were involved, the CBI does not need special permission to file charges. Furthermore, the agency plans to recommend a complete change of the National Testing Agency (NTA) protocols to match the higher security standards used by the UPSC.

與此同時，中央調查局 (CBI) 已完成對 NEET UG 2026 試卷洩漏的調查。調查結果顯示，洩漏是由私人承包商——具體為 PV Kulkarni、Manisha Mandhare 及 Manisha Havaldar——而非政府僱員所為。證據顯示，嫌疑人利用位於浦那的私人住宅，將考題與答案分享給部分考生。由於沒有政府官員涉入，CBI 無需特別許可即可提起訴訟。此外，該機構計劃建議全面更改國家測試局 (NTA) 的協議，以符合 UPSC 所採用的更高安全標準。

Conclusion

Both cases highlight serious weaknesses in educational management, leading to criminal investigations and plans for institutional reform to protect academic honesty.

這兩起案件均凸顯了教育管理上的嚴重缺陷，導致了刑事調查以及旨在保護學術誠實的體制改革計劃。

Vocabulary Learning

🚀 The 'B2 Jump': Moving from Basic Facts to Complex Cause-and-Effect

An A2 student describes what happened. A B2 student explains why and how it happened using Logical Connectors.

Look at this sentence from the text:

*"Consequently, the state government has suspended the former director..."

The Magic Word: "Consequently" At A2, you probably use "so".

  • A2 style: There were mistakes, so the government fired the director.
  • B2 style: There were mistakes; consequently, the government suspended the director.

Consequently is a powerhouse word. It tells the reader: "The second action is a direct, formal result of the first." Use it in essays or business emails to sound more professional.

🛠️ Vocabulary Upgrade: The "Precision" Shift

B2 fluency is about replacing general words (like bad or do) with specific, academic verbs. Let's analyze the 'upgrades' found in this article:

A2 Word (General)B2 Word (Precise)Context in Text
Study / Look intoInvestigation / Probe"...official investigations into serious failures..."
ResultFindings"The findings show that the leak..."
ChangeReform"...plans for institutional reform..."
RulesProtocols"...change of the National Testing Agency (NTA) protocols..."

Pro Tip: When you want to describe a government or company changing its rules, don't say "they changed the rules." Say "they implemented reforms to the protocols."

🧠 Grammar Hack: Passive Voice for Objectivity

Notice how the article doesn't always say who did the action first. It focuses on the event.

  • Active (A2): "Private contractors carried out the leak."
  • Passive (B2): "...the leak was carried out by private contractors."

Why use this? In B2 English, especially in reports or news, we use the passive voice to sound objective and formal. It shifts the focus from the person to the action.

Vocabulary Learning

curriculum (n.)
The subjects comprising a course of study in a school or college.
Example:The school is updating its science curriculum to include more climate change studies.
consequently (adv.)
As a result of something that happened before.
Example:The company failed to meet its targets; consequently, the budget was reduced.
suspended (v.)
To officially stop someone from working or studying for a period of time as a punishment.
Example:The employee was suspended for two weeks while the company investigated the theft.
conspiracy (n.)
A secret plan by a group of people to do something unlawful or harmful.
Example:The police uncovered a conspiracy to rig the local election.
probe (n.)
A thorough investigation into a crime or a complex situation.
Example:The government has launched a probe into the cause of the industrial accident.
protocols (n.)
The official system of rules governing procedures within a particular activity.
Example:The hospital has strict safety protocols to prevent the spread of infection.
institutional (adj.)
Relating to an established organization or a large-scale system.
Example:The university is undergoing institutional reform to improve its grading system.
C2

Institutional Failures in Educational Administration: Investigations into Odisha Textbook Discrepancies and NEET UG 2026 Examination Breaches.

教育行政的體制失效：調查奧里薩邦教科書差異與 NEET UG 2026 考試洩漏事件

Introduction

State and federal authorities in India have initiated formal inquiries into systemic failures regarding the distribution of erroneous educational materials in Odisha and the unauthorized dissemination of national examination papers.

印度州政府與聯邦當局已針對奧里薩邦分發錯誤教育教材，以及國家考試試卷非法外流的體制失效問題啟動正式調查。

Main Body

In the state of Odisha, the administration has mandated a Crime Branch investigation into the production of 55 textbooks developed under the Odisha Curriculum Framework for School Education 2025. The impetus for this inquiry was the identification of 1,678 factual, conceptual, and grammatical inaccuracies across 29.6 million copies distributed to approximately 5.3 million students. Notable discrepancies included erroneous geographical placements and the inclusion of pseudoscientific claims regarding fertility. The state government, citing a potential conspiracy, has suspended the former director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and three assistant directors. Analysis suggests that the systemic failure was precipitated by an accelerated 15-month development timeline, inadequate manuscript review, and flawed translation of National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) source material.

在奧里薩邦，行政部門已要求刑事調查局（Crime Branch）對根據《2025年奧里薩邦學校教育課程框架》開發的 55 本教科書進行調查。此次調查的起因是在分發給約 530 萬名學生、共 2,960 萬冊的書籍中，發現了 1,678 處事實、概念及文法錯誤。顯著的差異包括錯誤的地理位置標記以及關於生育能力的偽科學主張。州政府稱可能存在陰謀，已停職州教育研究與培訓委員會（SCERT）前主任及三名助理主任。分析認為，此次體制失效是由於 15 個月的開發周期過於倉促、原稿審查不足，以及對國家教育研究與培訓委員會（NCERT）原素材的翻譯存在缺陷所導致。

Concurrently, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has concluded its probe into the NEET UG 2026 paper leak. The findings indicate that the breach was executed by private contracted paper-setters—specifically identified as PV Kulkarni, Manisha Mandhare, and Manisha Havaldar—rather than government officials or National Testing Agency (NTA) personnel. Evidence suggests the suspects utilized private residences in Pune to disseminate question sets and correct answers to selected candidates. Because no government employees are implicated, the CBI is exempt from seeking prosecution sanction prior to filing its charge sheet. The agency intends to submit a comprehensive assessment to the government recommending a structural overhaul of NTA protocols, potentially aligning them with the security standards employed by the Union Public Service Commission.

與此同時，中央調查局（CBI）已完成對 NEET UG 2026 試卷洩漏事件的調查。調查結果顯示，洩漏是由私人承包的出題人員——具名為 PV Kulkarni、Manisha Mandhare 及 Manisha Havaldar——所為，而非政府官員或國家測試局（NTA）的人員。證據顯示，嫌疑人利用位於浦那的私人住宅，將試題集與正確答案分發給選定考生。由於沒有政府僱員涉案，CBI 在提交起訴書前無需尋求起訴許可。該局擬向政府提交一份全面評估，建議對 NTA 的協議進行結構性改革，使其可能與聯邦公共服務委員會（UPSC）所採用的安全標準接軌。

Conclusion

Both cases underscore critical vulnerabilities in educational oversight, resulting in criminal investigations and proposed institutional reforms to ensure academic integrity.

這兩起案件均凸顯了教育監督的嚴重漏洞，導致必須進行刑事調查並提出體制改革，以確保學術誠信。

Vocabulary Learning

⚡ The C2 Nexus: Nominalization and 'Institutional Coldness'

To bridge the gap from B2 (competent) to C2 (mastery), a student must move beyond describing actions and start constructing states. The provided text is a masterclass in Heavy Nominalization—the process of turning verbs and adjectives into nouns to create an objective, detached, and authoritative academic tone.

🔍 The Linguistic Shift

Compare these two ways of expressing the same reality:

  • B2 Approach (Action-Oriented): The government is investigating why textbooks have mistakes and why the exam leaked.
  • C2 Approach (State-Oriented): Investigations into systemic failures regarding the distribution of erroneous educational materials... and the unauthorized dissemination of national examination papers.

In the C2 version, the 'action' (investigating/leaking) is frozen into a 'concept' (Investigation/Dissemination). This removes the human agent and elevates the discourse to an institutional level.

🛠 Deconstructing the 'Power Phrases'

Observe how the author uses specific nominal clusters to imply causality without using simple 'because' sentences:

  1. "The impetus for this inquiry..."

    • Analysis: Instead of saying "This investigation started because...", the writer uses impetus (a noun meaning driving force). This transforms a causal event into a formal catalyst.

  2. "...precipitated by an accelerated 15-month development timeline"

    • Analysis: The verb precipitate (to cause to happen suddenly) combined with the nominal phrase development timeline creates a precise, clinical diagnosis of failure.

  3. "...exempt from seeking prosecution sanction"

    • Analysis: Note the density of nouns here (prosecution sanction). This is 'Legalistic English,' where nouns act as adjectives to modify other nouns, creating a highly condensed information packet.

🎓 C2 Synthesis Strategy

To implement this in your own writing, avoid starting sentences with people (The officials decided...). Instead, start with the Institutional Result:

Formula: [Abstract Noun/Result] →\rightarrow [Passive Verb/State] →\rightarrow [Causal Nominal Phrase]

Example transformation:

  • Draft: We failed because we didn't check the manuscripts well enough.
  • C2 Mastery: The institutional collapse was precipitated by inadequate manuscript review.

Vocabulary Learning

dissemination (n.)
The act of spreading something, especially information, widely.
Example:The unauthorized dissemination of the examination papers led to a nationwide scandal.
impetus (n.)
The force or motivation that makes a process happen or happen more quickly.
Example:The discovery of thousands of errors provided the impetus for a full-scale criminal investigation.
pseudoscientific (adj.)
Based on unfounded beliefs or claims that are presented as scientific but lack supporting evidence.
Example:The textbooks were criticized for including pseudoscientific claims that contradicted established biological facts.
precipitated (v.)
Caused an event or situation, typically one that is bad or undesirable, to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or prematurely.
Example:The rushed development timeline precipitated a series of critical errors in the final publication.
implicated (v.)
Shown to be involved in a crime or a harmful situation.
Example:Since no high-ranking government officials were implicated, the investigation focused on private contractors.
sanction (n.)
Official permission or approval for an action to be carried out.
Example:The agency did not require a prosecution sanction because the suspects were not public servants.
overhaul (n.)
A thorough examination of a system or machine, followed by the necessary repairs or changes to improve it.
Example:The government is considering a structural overhaul of the testing agency to prevent future security breaches.
Practice All words in a crossword→