Panjab University cancelled public administration exam after paper leak on WhatsApp
Panjab University on Friday cancelled the public administration examination for fifth semester of bachelor of arts (BA) after the paper was leaked on a WhatsApp group.
The exam was being conducted in 192 colleges affiliated to the varsity in Chandigarh and Punjab. Now, it has been rescheduled to December 23.
The cheating racket came to light after the exam superintendent confiscated the mobile phone of a private candidate from Kharar, Anil, at DAV College, Sector 10, around 9:20am.
He was reappearing for the paper after failing in the previous attempt, said sources.
He was reappearing for the paper after failing in the previous attempt, said sources.
The superintendent, who did not wish to be named, said an outsider seen in the corridors near the examination rooms raised her suspicion. On questioning, he said he had come to meet a friend, said the official.
“We got hold of the student named by the outsider, and upon checking we found a mobile phone in his pocket,” she said.
On checking the mobile phone, the authorities found Anil had been added to a WhatsApp titled ‘papers’.
Anil was separated from other students and not allowed to attempt the paper.
“Around 10am, answers of the ongoing examination started appearing on the group,” said the superintendent.
However, the student kept saying he did not know who added him to the group.
Modus operandi
The WhatsApp group had 255 members, of which eight were administrators, said sources.
The crime branch officials, who reached the spot around 10:30am, said the numbers in the group were from various districts in Punjab, including Pathankot and Faridkot.
A candidate had taken a photograph of the question paper using a mobile phone and sent it to the group. Soon after, some outsiders uploaded the answers titled ‘answer of question 1’ and so on, said police sources.
No complaint yet
After the college authorities informed Panjab University about the racket, a two-member team reached there around 11:30am. PU controller of examinations Parvinder Singh, who is also the dean, college development, joined them around 1pm. Later, he along with college principal BC Josan went to the university. But after returning around 1:45pm, both decided not to register a police complaint and let the student return home.
Talking to Punjabnews24, Josan said, “We have sent the case to the university authorities, and now the action will be taken by them.”
“We have cancelled the examination after discussing the matter,” said Parvinder Singh. “It is for the college to register a police complaint as the student was caught on their premises.”
Meanwhile, two more students were found cheating during the exam. Around 11pm, when other students taking the exam were checked, two were held with a Bluetooth device. However, when their phones were checked, they were not found to be members of the WhatsApp group.
Students Comment
After this news, genuine students who appeared in the exam were very upset from the decision taken by the university. Punjabnews24 team asked some students on this and they said that they are not satisfied with the decision. They added, if the invigilators were aware of this then why didn’t they cancelled the exam immediately. Some students also mentioned that it came as a shock to them at this point because they were not expecting this when they already have to prepare for other exams. Students who had there last exams today and were on there way back to meet there families after a long, have to wait to till 23.
If they have to punish someone then it should be the culprits. Why all genuine students have to suffer ? Why university is not taking the right decision?
Another student said that it was a total wastage of paper in the shape of answer sheets, even they knew the question paper was leaked. Every student is hoping for the right decision and want the university to think on this matter one more time.
