Chandigarh, July 2
The leaked question paper of the Punjab Pre-medical Entrance Test was an exact copy of the original. However, an alternate set of question papers, printed separately as a back-up arrangement and stored in bank lockers at Chandigarh, was then used to conduct the test in which 10,197 candidates appeared across 41 centres here today.
Parents and guardians of students protested vehemently outside the examination centres as they apprehended that the leaked question paper had been used.
The Registrar of the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Dr P.L. Garg, admitted that the leaked question paper handed over by the Chandigarh Police around 2.30 am today was found to be “an exact replica of the original”.
“All 200 questions and also the sequence was the same as in the original paper. Even the questions had been solved. It seemed like a guide on how to clear the examination”, he added. The two question papers, the one handed over by the police and the original one lying in the sealed strong room of the Panjab University, were matched here this morning in the presence of senior officials.
However, he assured the students that the question paper used in the test was not tampered.
The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Dr Ravinder Ravi, also voiced the same opinion saying that the second question paper was a part of the contingency plan to have a foolproof system to conduct the examination. This was printed separately by the BFUHS.
“We had an intuition that the original paper could be leaked as we were getting calls from parents.”
He told mediapersons that the onus of finding out who leaked the paper was on the police that had now registered an FIR. The police had been informed that the leaked question paper was an exact copy of the original.
When asked why they had chosen Panjab University to conduct the examination despite its bad record in the recent past, Dr Ravi said they had signed a contract with Panjab University and
not with an individual, who might be facing allegations of any misconduct. He said it was for the Vice-Chancellor, Dr K.N. Pathak, to ensure secrecy.
Dr Ravi said he did not know from where Panjab University got the original paper printed. It was their job we did not interfere,
he added.
Meanwhile, official sources said Panjab University got the paper printed from a press in Lucknow. The arrest of Anil Behalia, a Lucknow-based medical practitioner, hinted that the leakage possibly took place from the printing press.
Narrating the sequence of events, Dr Ravi said the BFUHS had received an e-mail three days ago informing about a person in Sector 20, Chandigarh, who was selling the question paper and assuring 100 per cent clearance in PMT.
The matter was brought to the notice of the DGP, Punjab. After getting a photocopy of the leaked paper, an emergency meeting was convened with the Panjab University authorities.
The office of the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, was informed. The contingency plan of an alternate question paper was given a green signal.
Meanwhile, Dr P.L. Garg alleged there was a big gang behind this. The system needed to be cleansed, he added.
