Goa University initiates probe in MBBS question paper leak

"This is a very serious offence. The inquiry committee will submit its primary report within 48 hours while a detailed inquiry is in progress," Goa University Vice Chancellor Dilip Deobagkar told PTI.

The University has cancelled two papers - General Medicine I and II - pending inquiry into the leakage, he said.

The Vice Chancellor said the two exams were cancelled immediately after leakage was brought to the notice of the authorities, adding that the Varsity authorities were taken aback when a local newspaper carried a report about the paper leakage.

Goa Medical College and Hospital Dean Dr V N Jindal cross checked the leaked papers with the original sets and found that mostly all the questions matched.

"From the handwritten paper which was leaked, 14 out of 16 questions were matching. Hence we decided to cancel the General Medicine-II paper scheduled for today and the General Medicine-I paper conducted yesterday also stands cancelled," the VC said.
The authorities are now trying to verify how the leakage occurred, even as prima facie it appears that the question papers were dictated to a group of students by a faculty member.

"The paper setting system that we have is foolproof and universal," Deobagkar said, adding that the entire system would be reviewed considering the leakage.

Jindal said three external and one internal examiner sets different papers which are later handed over to the moderator who blends all and makes three sets of papers.

"These sets are sent to Goa University for printing and no one knows who is the printer. The final set in a sealed envelop is sent to the Dean, who opens it minutes before the examination," he said.

Making the procedure more watertight, the examination coordinators open the sealed envelopes in front of the students and signatures of two students are taken, who certify that the papers were in a sealed packet.