Bhubaneswar, Sept. 19 (UDN): The alleged circulation of a question paper ahead of a Utkal University examination has triggered a political row in Odisha, with the Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) demanding a time-bound investigation and stronger safeguards in the state’s examination system.
The controversy surfaced after reports that a Plus III second-semester Commerce question paper was circulated on social media before the scheduled examination on September 17. Utkal University has lodged a police complaint and initiated an inquiry to establish whether the circulated paper was genuine and determine its source.
The second-semester examinations began on September 12 and are being conducted across around 300 affiliated colleges, with the schedule set to conclude on September 24.
University Begins Verification
Utkal University Controller of Examinations Dr Hrushikesh Nayak said the university acted after receiving information about the alleged circulation of the paper.
According to university officials, question papers are sealed at the university and dispatched to affiliated colleges, where the packets are supposed to be opened only shortly before the examination begins. The ongoing inquiry will examine the chain of custody and determine whether there was any breach of the established procedure.
The university has also approached the police over the allegation, while a committee under the Vice-Chancellor is examining the matter. Officials have indicated that further action, including any decision regarding the affected examination, will depend on the findings of the investigation.
BJD Questions Examination Management
Reacting to the development, the BJD accused the Odisha government of failing to ensure adequate security and transparency in examinations.
The party claimed that students and job aspirants in the state have faced 25 instances involving examination failures, cancellations, postponements, question-paper irregularities and other lapses during the past two years. The figure is a claim made by the Opposition party and has not been independently established in the reports reviewed.
BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said examination-related irregularities place additional pressure on students who spend months preparing for academic and recruitment tests.
The party called for every serious examination-related complaint to be investigated transparently, with responsibility fixed if negligence or procedural violations are established.
Call for Stronger Security Measures
The BJD also sought tighter safeguards for question papers, improved monitoring at examination centres and a review of procedures followed by universities, recruitment agencies and other examining bodies.
The latest controversy has meanwhile placed the focus on the security chain surrounding university examinations. The outcome of the ongoing inquiry will determine whether the material circulated online was an authentic examination paper and, if so, how it became available before the scheduled test.