Paper leak at Bathinda varsity, probe ordered

Sameer Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 9

An incident of question paper being leaked was reported in the ongoing semester exams of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University (MRSPTU) here in Bathinda. A five-member probe committee has been formed to investigate the matter.

Sources said after getting information regarding paper leak, a professor along with assistant professors caught students red-handed while they were busy noting questions from the paper in the university hostel room.

Sources in the university said students who were caught admitted in the presence of faculty members that they were paying Rs 500 per question paper.

Sources said these students also named a middleman who was facilitating the paper leak with the connivance with a senior administrative official of the university. The professor raided the hostel at university’s Bathinda campus on Wednesday and caught dozens of students copying question papers. Their mobile phones were also seized.

Students of Civil Engineering 5th semester were to appear for the exam of Environment Engineering at 1.30 pm at 22 examination centres on Wednesday.

Sources said question paper was uploaded online at 12.50 pm and after that it was leaked further on mobile phones of students at 12.53 pm. The question paper was leaked on a social networking messaging application. The Vice-Chancellor held a meeting with other officials.

A senior official said there were possibilities that someone from the printing cell might have leaked the paper after clicking a picture of the same. A five-member probe committee consisting senior officials of the university has been formed to investigate the matter.

Karanvir Singh, Controller of Examinations, MRSPTU, said, “On the basis of suspicion, a raid was conducted in the hostel where some students were copying question paper from mobile phone. We have cancelled today’s exam and it will be held again.”

The controller added that an internal committee had been established to probe the matter and a letter had been written to the Vigilance Bureau for investigation.

Charanjit Singh Channi, Minister of Technical Educational and Industrial Training, said, “Question paper leak is a serious matter, I will ask the vigilance wing to conduct a probe into the matter so that culprits can be brought to justice. A strict punitive action will be taken against the gulity.” Channi also sought explanations from the varsity.