Jeypore: Days after an alleged paper leak jolted Odisha’s premier Utkal University, a similar controversy has now been reported from Vikram Dev University in Jeypore.
University authorities postponed the examination of Ability Enhancement Course (AEC) for Plus III second-semester students on Friday after the question paper allegedly surfaced on WhatsApp ahead of the scheduled exam.
The compulsory English exam under the AEC for undergraduate students was scheduled to be held from 2 pm to 5 pm at around 52 examination centres under the university. Following the circulation of the question paper on WhatsApp, however, authorities immediately put off the examination to ensure fairness and credibility.
Confirming the leak, University Controller of Examinations Ranjan Kumar Pradhan said some students approached him around 11 am on the day of the exam and informed him that AEC question papers were being circulated on WhatsApp. The students reportedly showed him four to five different question papers.
On verification, one of them was found to match the original question paper prepared for the AEC English examination scheduled for the day, prompting the university to suspend the examination. It then informed all examination centre superintendents about the postponement.
A fresh question paper will be prepared for the postponed examination, the controller of examinations informed. The university will announce the new date and time of the examination separately, he said.
Pradhan said the university has lodged a complaint with the Koraput Cyber Police Station regarding the incident. “The possibility of the involvement of some miscreants could not be ruled out and that the circulation might have been intended to mislead students,” he said, adding that the exact circumstances would become clear only after a detailed investigation.
Vikram Dev University authorities have also advised students against being misled by rumours or messages circulating on WhatsApp and rely only on official information issued by the university.
