Over 7,000 students pursuing a Bachelor of Education degree in various colleges affiliated to Gulbarga University wrote the exam for the fourth paper of their second semester examinations — Pedagogical Tools, Techniques and Approaches — even though the subject question paper was already leaked and in circulation since the previous evening. The examination was held at 10 a.m. on Monday.
A few members of Academic Council and Syndicate of the University, who wished not to be identified, claimed they had immediately forwarded the copies of the leaked question paper to university authorities including the Registrar, Evaluation, at about 10 p.m. on Sunday via WhatsApp. Some others claimed that they had forwarded the leaked question paper to Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayaraddi also a night before the scheduled time of the examination. Yet, neither was the examination cancelled nor was the probe ordered.
Claim denied
However, C.S. Patil, Registrar, Evaluation, denied the claims. Speaking to The Hindu, he said that he received the leaked question paper only at 10.20 a.m., 20 minutes after the scheduled examination had begun. He also said that he would bring the issue to the notice of Vice-Chancellor who would take a final decision on the matter.
“I do not have the final authority to take the decision. I will bring everything on the issue to the notice of Vice-Chancellor who will arrive in Kalaburagi tomorrow. He will take the decision on whether to re-conduct the examination or to go ahead with the one conducted today,” he said.
Mr. Venkatesh Patel, a member of Academic Council of the University, who forwarded the leaked question paper to this reporter at 10.47 p.m. confirmed that the same question paper was distributed among students for the exam on Monday morning.
“We have solid proof that the question paper was leaked. We strongly suspect that the three previous question papers of the second semester exam were also leaked. I request the Governor to take the issue seriously and re-conduct examinations for all the four papers,” he said. He also alleged rampant irregularities and malpractices in several examinations recently conducted by Gulbarga University and demanded that the Governor order a probe on the issue.
Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayaraddi was not available for comment.
