PU dept to be revamped: Minister

As hell broke loose after the leak of the II PU chemistry paper on Thursday, Primary and Secondary Education Kimmane Ratnakar announced that the entire examination set-up of the Pre-university Education (PUE) department would be changed.

“It is the department which conducts the examination and its officials are to be held responsible for any lapses,” he said after the opposition raised the leak of the paper in the Legislative Assembly.

He said the CID has been directed to speed up investigations into the paper leak. Initial reports suggest that the second leak had taken place in Tumakuru and the CID is investigating. The agency also suspected that the paper which leaked on Thursday could be one of the five prepared for the March 21 examination, which was cancelled following another leak.

He said 40 officials and staff including of the examination wing of the PUE department have been suspended.

Responding to charges by the opposition, Ratnakar said he was not protecting anybody and had a free hand in running the department. “We are waiting for the CID report which is probing the first leak. The agency will probe Thursday’s leak too,” he said.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters after meeting education and home department officials that the culprits of the question paper leaks will be brought to book at the earliest.