Bhubaneswar, March 7: The fact-finding committee, formed by the higher education department, has suggested introduction of a special examination paper on general awareness and soft skills.

The paper will carry 100 marks for Plus Two examinees, and the Council of Higher Secondary Education will conduct it.

The three-member panel today submitted its final report to higher education minister Pradeep Panigrahi.

He said: "The department has received the final report of the committee. We will study the recommendations and review if these can be implemented from the next year itself."

An official said the special paper would not only help enhance the wholesome development of students, but also inculcate a positive attitude and behaviour among them. Moreover, it will help the students perform well in the national-level entrance exams, where they have been faring poorly in recent times.

The members suggested that topics of social relevance be incorporated in the curriculum to bridge the gap between the course content and living experience. Topics such as human rights, population problem, disaster management, AIDS awareness, environmental pollution, Odia culture, women empowerment, consumer awareness, right to information and water harvesting may be included in the paper besides components related to soft skills development, suggested the panel.

The curriculum should be developed with the help of experts from the areas concerned, the official said, while adding that the syllabus should be in tune with that of the CBSE board with 10 per cent variation to include local contents.

The recommendation also included the need for "multiple examiners". "There must be six questions in each subjects and each answer sheet should be evaluated by six examiners with one answer each. This will definitely bring down the errors," said Amulya Panda, who is heading the committee.

The panel has also recommended action against the officials who were in charge of the management of the annual Plus Two examinations last year.

The department had formed the committee to suggest reforms in the Plus Two evaluation and management of the examinations following statewide uproar over faulty evaluation of the papers in last year's annual Plus Two examinations.

The committee has also recommended exams during the Plus Two first year, so that both teachers and students take up their studies more seriously. At present, there are no exams for students of Plus Two first year.

Recommendations such as provision of question-answer booklets to the students in the annual Plus Two examinations, proper training of teachers, and practical examinations at the college level and installation of CCTV cameras on the campuses have also been made.