Due to a question discrepancy in the Science paper of the SSC exam, the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education has opted to award full marks to students who made attempted the question.
Kapil Patil, an MLC and the President of the Samajwadi Ganrajya Party, highlighted the matter. He had alerted the State Board to the confusion regarding the answer.
The question number 1 (B) (i) in the Science paper was ‘Name the atom having smallest size’. This question created confusion. As per the textbook, the correct answer of the question is Helium. But some reference books say the right answer is ‘Hydrogen’.
In a letter addressed to Divisional Secretaries of all Divisional Boards, State Board Secretary Anuradha Oak highlighted the confusion stemming from two answers. The Pune Divisional Board sought opinions from subject experts, who submitted their report. Based on this report, the Board concluded that both “Helium” and “Hydrogen” are correct answers.
As per the ruling, the Board instructed valuers to award full marks to students who provided either “Helium” or “Hydrogen” as answers. The Maharashtra State Board officially declared that both responses would be deemed correct.
Anuradha Oak, Secretary of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, issued a notification stating, “The board has been made aware of the confusion among students and parents regarding a specific question in the SSC Science 1 paper held on March 18. Given the circumstances, it has been decided that marks will be awarded for both answers.