Faced with no other option, the Telangana Government on Tuesday announced the cancellation of the Eamcet-2 examination in the wake of question paper leakage last month.
A decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting convened by Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao at the CM Camp Office here. “It is unfortunate that the question paper got leaked .We are forced to cancel the Eamcet-2 examination as we have no other option. Parents of the Eamcet-2 should understand our anguish and cooperate in the smooth conduct of Eamcet-3,” Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao said at the meeting.
It may be mentioned here that the Government had ordered a CID probe last month in the wake of reports of question paper leak. Enquiry by the CID confirmed the leakage and many arrests were made in this connection.
A fresh notification would be issued and the responsibility of conducting the test has been entrusted to the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU). Officials of the Telangana Council of Higher Education, Health University and JNTU were asked to appoint a new convenor and co-convenor to conduct the examination.
At the review meeting, which was attended by Higher Council Chairman Papi Reddy, Intelligence IGP B.Shivadhar Reddy, CID IGP Soumya Mishra, Chief Minister’s Special Secretary Rajasekhar Reddy and others, the Chief Minister was informed that Delhi turned out to be the centre for leak.
Four key suspects
The enquiry so far has identified Mukul Jain, Mayank Sharma, Sunil Singh and Irfan as the key suspects in the leakage. There are 34 brokers, who conspired to sell the paper. So far six have been arrested and the information about five more middlemen has been received, the officials told the Chief Minister. It was pointed out that as many as 200 parents were in touch with the brokers to buy the question papers.
The meeting initially discussed whether re-examination could be avoided but it was felt that the government should follow the earlier practice in such circumstances.
70 times paper leaked across India
Officials said that so far across the country, 70 instances of question paper leakage had been reported. In all the instances, re-examination was conducted, it was pointed out. The Chief Minister was also informed about the various court directions whenever question papers were leaked. “The mistake committed by few should not affect the future of thousands of students,” Mr. Rao remarked but added that the Government had no option but to re-conduct the examination shortly.
No exam fee
The Government decided to waive the examination fee for the students. All the students would be allowed to take the examination with the old hall tickets only. The students were given the option to download the hall tickets online. Students appearing for Eamcet -3 would be provided free travel by TSRTC buses, the Chief Minster said adding that the study material would be uploaded on the JNTU website.
Mr.Chandrasekhar Rao directed the police to initiate stringent action against the culprits involved in the question paper leakage. He said parents, who joined hands with the middlemen should be punished as per the law.
