Teacher Eligibility Test: Highlighted answers in question paper shock PSTET candidates

Tribune News Service

Patiala/Amritsar, March 12

Candidates who appeared for the Punjab State Teacher Eligibility Test (PSTET), conducted by the Education Department on Sunday, were taken aback when most of the questions of the MCQ part of social studies paper had answers highlighted.

About 1.48 lakh applicants had applied for the test for whom 280 centres had been set up in 18 districts.

Printing error

It was a printing error and a re-examination will be conducted after due consultation with the government department concerned. Prof Hardeep Singh, Coordinator

The candidates who had opted for the social studies (SST) subject and appeared for the exam on Sunday said one of the options in almost over 50 questions of the total 60 questions were in the bold font which could have helped candidates choose the right answers to the questions.

The PSTET comprises 150 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) of one mark each, in which two language papers (Punjabi and English) and one of psychology carry equal weightage of 30 marks each. The optional subject carries 60 marks.

The puzzled students asked invigilators but they were helpless in answering the queries of the candidates. The candidates said the invigilators said the question papers were not set by their department and they did not have any procedure to contact the university staff, who had set the question papers.

A candidate, who appeared for the exam in Kharar, said, “I had opted for social studies. The paper carried 60 questions related to the subject. The answers of nearly 50 questions were already highlighted in the question paper.”

Imani Sharma, another candidate, said, “The answers of over 55 questions were already in bold letters in the SST question paper. It was easily identifiable. Contrary to previous times when we were allowed to take away the question papers with us after the exam, the staff asked us to submit the question papers at the centres.”

Candidates pointed out that the lapse occurred in the SST paper alone.

Other candidates said, “We had prepared well for the exam. In fact, the exam was conducted after a gap of one year. But such a lapse on part of the authorities has raised questions whether the exam will be cancelled.”

Prof Hardeep Singh of Guru Nanak Dev University's Computer Science Department, who was coordinator of the TET, said it was a printing error and re-examination of the paper would be conducted after due consultation with the government department concerned.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Sukhpal Khaira tweeted, “Yet another recruitment blunder by the government. Approximately 60 per cent questions already answered in the exam sheet of PSTET section! This is gross injustice with meritorious candidates! The INC demands a Vigilance Bureau inquiry.”

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