Jashordanga (Alipurduar), Nov. 30: Around 50 students here could not take their Madhyamik test examination (mathematics paper) yesterday, thanks to the carelessness of the head of their institution.

The students of Jashordanga High School reached their institution well before 10 am, the time their examination was supposed to begin. Around 10.15 am, the school authorities declared that the exam had been called off owing to unavoidable circumstances and has been rescheduled for Thursday, a source said. It was the last paper of the examination.

Later, an enquiry revealed that Suvendu Debnath, the teacher-in-charge of the school, had gone to Siliguri yesterday and had taken with him the key of the almirah in which the maths question papers were kept. As a result, the teachers could not take out the papers and the test had to be postponed, a source said.

The question papers were sent by the All Bengal Teachers? Association (ABTA). Questions for the rescheduled exam, however, will have to be set by the teachers of the school.

Debnath is yet to return from Siliguri, the source said. ?It was a mistake on the part of Suvendu babu. We decided not to take the ABTA question papers from other schools fearing that the students might have already learnt the questions,? said Amal Dey, the head clerk of the school. ?We have put up a notice stating that the exam will be held tomorrow from 10 am.?

The guardians and the managing committee members are reportedly annoyed with the arrangement since they fear that questions for tomorrow?s exam will be more difficult. ?This time the questions might be tough and the students will suffer,? said Nandalal Biswas, a guardian of a student. ?Debnath should have left the key with another teacher or a clerk. It was not the first day of the exam, how could he forget about the key? That means, the exam is not important enough for him. Strong actions should be taken against him.?

The managing committee will soon call a meeting to decide on the action to be taken against Debnath.