Rajmani Singh (left) and AKP Yadav. Pictures by Jai Prakash

Patna, April 24: Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) has turned a chapter with new chairman on board.

Dr Rajmani Singh would replace Dr A.K.P. Yadav as the chairman of the BSEB. Both of them share striking similarities as both hail from the teachers’ fraternity of Patna Science College and are said to be close to chief minister Nitish Kumar.

Yadav’s term expires on Monday afternoon.

Singh, who hails from Nalanda district, the hometown of Nitish, had served as vice-chancellor (VC) of LN Mithila University, Darbhanga, and prior to his appointment as VC of LN Mithila University, he had served as head of department of physics at Patna Science College. Both Singh and Yadav have physics background.

An eminent academician and also known for his research works, Singh’s appointment as chairman of the BSEB is considered important and would give new shape to the board.

Singh, who had completed his post-graduation in 1967, told The Telegraph: “My priority would be to hold the board examination on time and in fair manner. Together with it, I would also ensure right evaluation of examination papers and timely publication of results.”

He added: “Efforts would be made to modernise the board so that students and teachers can benefit from the new system.” The appointment assumes importance, as it is for the second consecutive time that the chairmanship of the BSEB has been given to an academician. Earlier, officers of the administrative service occupied the post. The present principal secretary of state human resources development (HRD) department, Anjani Kumar Singh, and late M.M. Jha, who was also principal secretary of HRD, were posted as BSEB chairmans.

Sources said Yadav would be appointed as VC of any of the five universities in Bihar, which has acting VCs. Yadav’s candidature is being backed by JD (U) national president Sharad Yadav and also Nitish, sources said.

Yadav, as chairman of the BSEB, is credited of bringing many reforms in the school examination board, which include timely holding of examination and publication of board results.

Earlier, holding his last meeting as chairman of the BSEB, Yadav had said: “I have tried my best to bring an overall change in the administrative set-up of the board, which included use of computerised OMR sheet for the first time. All information of the students appearing for the board examination will be preserved in form of data.”

Yadav is also credited to using Intermediate examination on the CBSE pattern and the issue of model papers in Intermediate and board examinations.

Yadav had said during his chairmanship, girl students have performed well in the board and the Intermediate examinations as compared to previous years and the credit goes to the introduction of model papers.

He had said that the model papers issued by the board had helped the girls because students got a clear idea about the type of questions being asked in the examination.

Yadav also said that he had long-term plans for the development of the board but because of time constraint, he was unable to introduce some vital steps like mobile laboratories, which could have been a boon for Intermediate science students as those colleges which don’t have laboratory facilities would have benefited from it.

Apart from mobile laboratories, Yadav also planned to build an examination hall in all districts so that more than 5,000 students could appear for examination at one time.