So many and so much depends upon Information Technology(IT). However, the Maharashtra State Board of Higher Secondary Education seems to have never heard this word and its advantages. Its methods of communications are still atleast 25 years behind today. It is surprising that this Board has ‘IT’ as a subject for the H.S.C. exam but is least inclined to make use it.

All that the website has is single page with no information other than the address of the board. Not even the phone no! There is no information regarding the syllabus, sanctioned textbooks, etc. The only time that the website is of value is when the time-table of the Board exam is announced. Apart from that, the website has no other benefits.

The Board might argue that they send circulars to colleges. But are colleges the only beneficiaries of the Board. Aren’t students beneficiaries? Back in Jan08, the board had issued high-priority circular regarding ‘changes in the syllabus’. What had happened is that some of the sanctioned textbooks of Std. 12 Biology had not covered certain parts of the syllabus, and a few other textbooks had included parts which were beyond the syllabus. The Board silently issued circulars to colleges and asked to put up a copy of those on the notice boards of the college. Bear in mind that the circular was not a single-page document, but was atleast 20 pages long. Poor students had to copy down these circulars manually. At that time, the Board exam was only a month ahead. Many colleges had already conducted their prelims and students were not attending the colleges on account of preparatory leave. What is more shocking is that few colleges had not even received the Board’s circular. Was it so difficult for the Board to put up a electronic copy of the circular on its website so that students could download and have it printed? Looks like the Board people are not interested in upgrading.

If this is not enough, the website is more terrible these days. There is not a single useful word or link, not even the contact address.

The Board’s laziness is an old habit. In academic year 2008, when the current syllabus was introduced, the Board has sanctioned 9 textbooks for Std. 12 Biology. All these 9 sanctioned textbooks were full of mistakes, ambiguities and discrepancies. If the Board can give their ‘Sanctioned’ rubber-stamp to such books without verifying if they are written in accordance to the prescribed syllabus, can we look upon this organization as an accountable organization? Can we trust it to take decent care of its students? Are these lapses merely accidental or was their any irregularity?

Lately, the board seems to have realized its accountability. It is rolling out its own textbooks for std. 12. However, the issue is that their is no official word from the Board for the students. According to the grapevine and my sources, the Std. 12 Biology textbook is expected to hit the markets by August 2010. But how are students and people like me who work outside the system  supposed to know this? Don’t we have a right to know upfront about it? Its not an issue for me because I can call-up my ‘sources’ and have the piece of information, but what I am miffed about is the lack of open communication shown by the Board, especially at a time when everybody else has adopted it for the good. Is the Board a private limited company that only its shareholders are privileged to have the information? Aren’t parents entitled to know about it? Aren’t teachers entitled to know about it? It is necessary to beg the colleges to share the circulars? Or should we phone the mostly rude, uncooperative and faceless people everytime we need help? Or should we visit the Board’s office at Pune or Vashi and waste our valuable time?