Bhubaneswar, April 16: Authorities of the Council of Higher Secondary Education today decided to do away with the Plus Two topper list following concerns that private residential colleges were resorting to illegal means such as leaking question papers and manipulating evaluation to figure in the merit list.

This decision was taken at an executive committee meeting of the council.

“This move was necessary because certain people with commercial motives were misusing the list. We will send the proposal to the higher education department for final approval,” said council chairman Gouri Shankar Ray.

He said though the list would no longer be published in the result booklets this year onwards, the council will keep it as part of its records to determine which meritorious students deserved scholarships.

“Making the list public entailed many problems. Besides manipulation by certain persons and institutions, many students who expected ranks used to approach us with pleas for re-checking of their papers. That necessitated updating the merit list,” he said.

Last week, the state government announced the abolition of the top-100 list for matriculation exams, the results of which are expected by the end of this month. Secretary of the school and mass education department Usha Padhee said the decision was taken to reduce pressure on students.

Mixed opinions were expressed regarding the council’s decision. While students felt discontinuing an old practice would “reduce our hunger for better performance”, others lauded it, saying it would “no longer create bad blood over ranks”.

In the council meeting today, no decision was taken on the issue of increasing the remuneration of lecturers engaged in evaluation of Plus Two answer sheets, said an official. There was a demand to increase the payment from Rs 6 to Rs 10 per script and a hike every five years.

The first round of evaluation was held between April 3 and 12 at 47 centres across the state. Around 12,000 evaluators were roped in for the purpose. The second round began from April 14 and will be completed by April 22.

The answer sheets of residential college students are being checked at special venues. The results are supposed to be declared by first week of June.