Mumbai: Shiv Sena leaders gatecrash SSC exam centre for free publicity

Hemant Dudhwadkar, accompanied by his father Arun, hands flowers to students waiting for the paper to begin

On the first day of the SSC exams, students sat in the exam hall as they waited for the paper to be distributed, no doubt hoping to use the last few moments to gather their wits. Instead, they were surprised to see local Yuva Sena leader Hemant Dudhwadkar saunter in with his phone, ostensibly to wish them luck. The politician thought nothing of breaking the rules and disturbing the students to take pictures with them on his camera phone, minutes before their exam.

Mobile phones are banned for both students and invigilators entering the Board examination centre, and no one but students and teachers can enter the exam halls. Just a couple of weeks ago, this paper had reported how an HSC candidate had thrown her mobile phone in the gutter outside the examination centre as she was not allowed to take it inside. But Yuva Sena's Hemant Dudhwadkar and his father Arun Dudhwadkar, Shiv Sena leader from Malabar Hill, seemed to think the rules don't apply to them.

Hemant Dudhwadkar and his father Arun pose with the students inside the exam hall even as the invigilator looks on

They entered the exam hall after 10.30 am, when students were already seated inside, just waiting for the answer sheets and question paper to be distributed. Students require these last few minutes to relax and mentally prepare for what is to be the hardest test they have ever faced. They certainly needed the quite time more than Hemant's best wishes, which he conveyed in a most inconsiderate manner.

'Didn't disturb them'
The visit quickly turned into a photo op, with a helper taking photos of Hemant and his father as they distributed flowers to the students. These photos were not only published in the Sena's mouthpiece, but Hemant even posted them on his Facebook page for a few brownie points.

Hemant Dudhwadkar

When mid-day reached out to Hemant, he admitted that he had indeed taken his phone into the exam hall and clicked photos with it. "The examination hadn't started by that time. It was before paper. There was absolutely no disturbance to students," he claimed. When asked how the invigilator allowed him to enter, he responded, "The officials at the exam centre did not allow me, I simply went in."

Officialspeak
Sharad Khandagale, secretary of the Mumbai Division of Maharashtra State Board, said, "Mobile phones are not allowed inside the examination centre; this has been made clear time and again. They [in-charges] have to be more careful regarding this. It is the exam centre head's duty to not allow any such activity inside the classroom."

Dudhwadkar proudly posted the pictures on his Facebook page

A senior teacher from a Goregaon school demanded action in the matter, stating, "This is wrong. When the state board is so strict with students and teachers regarding use of mobile phones inside the exam hall, it is inappropriate for political leaders to be given such easy access. First and foremost, the question arises, how was an outsider was allowed to enter the examination centre?"

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