Assam Class 10 Board Exam Question Goes Viral— Find Out Why Netizens Ask, ‘Is This Education?’

The Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA), is currently conducting the High School Leaving Examination (HSLC) 2025 for Class 10 students. While practical exams began in late January, theoretical exams started in mid-February. However, a question in the social science paper has caused an uproar on social media.

Question number 57 in this year's paper asked students to read a description and share their opinion. The description presented a hypothetical situation where a government hospital in a village called Dambuk provided free treatment to Hindus, while people of other religions had to pay for medical services. The question then asked whether such a policy was acceptable in India.

Many social media users have criticised the question, calling it divisive and inappropriate for an examination. Journalist Afrida Hussain shared an image of the question paper on X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, "Is this the kind of education we want for our students? Why are students being exposed to divisive hypotheticals instead of learning about the equality and secularism protected by our Constitution?"

Others also expressed their concerns. One user simply wrote, "What!?" while another reacted with, "Shame." A third person commented, "Education should foster unity, critical thinking, and an understanding of our constitutional values like equality and secularism."

Another user, disappointed with the framing of the question, wrote, "If the goal was to test knowledge of constitutional rights, it could have been done in a more neutral and responsible way."

There has been no official response from SEBA regarding the controversy. Many are now urging authorities to ensure that future exam papers align with the principles of equality and secularism.