The Veer Madho Singh Bhandari Uttarakhand Technical University (UTU), Dehradun, has cancelled two current semester examinations after an inquiry found that an external paper setter had allegedly shared questions with students before one of the papers. The decision affects students from 12 institutes affiliated with the university.The university has also debarred the faculty member from all examination-related work for seven years, while the college where he worked has terminated his services.
Complaint led to inquiry
The controversy began after the university received a complaint regarding the Machine Learning for Internet of Things examination.In an order issued by Controller of Examinations Dr V K Patel, the university said multiple inquiries conducted by the university and the institution that reported the matter found that the external paper setter had allegedly circulated questions identical to those appearing in the examination through the institution’s internal portal and WhatsApp before the test.The inquiry also found that another paper prepared by the same faculty member, Electromagnetic Field Theory, was also suspected to have been leaked.“The cancelled examinations for both subjects will be re-conducted during the third week of August 2026. All institutions are requested to immediately inform the concerned students about this important decision so that they can adequately prepare for the re-examinations within the stipulated time,” the university order said.
Professor barred for seven years
The university has barred the paper setter from all examination-related work for the next seven years.“The paper setter has been debarred with immediate effect from all examination-related work of the University for the next seven years,” the order said.The Controller of Examinations also warned the college for failing to maintain “adequate supervision and institutional control”.
College says questions were shared on WhatsApp
According to Shivalik College of Engineering, the alleged leak happened before the examination.College director Dr T S Sidhu told media that the professor had allegedly shared around 50 questions with students on a WhatsApp group. Those questions later appeared in the examination paper he had set.The college has since terminated the assistant professor.
Termination followed university findings
The termination letter traces the sequence of events over nearly two weeks.According to the college, it received a complaint about the alleged leak on July 8. A preliminary inquiry committee was constituted by the registrar on July 10 and submitted its report on July 13.“Based on the preliminary findings, an inquiry committee was constituted by the registrar on July 10. The Committee submitted its report on July 13, following which disciplinary action was initiated against you by the institute on July 14,” the termination letter said.Initially, the faculty member was debarred from setting question papers for three years by the institution.The matter was then examined by the university, which, through a letter dated July 22, held the paper setter responsible for the examination paper leak and imposed a seven-year ban from all university examination work.“In view of the above findings of the University and considering the seriousness of the misconduct, your actions constitute a grave breach of trust and professional ethics, rendering your continuance in service detrimental to the interests and reputation of the Institution,” the termination letter said.It added that the assistant professor’s services were terminated with immediate effect under Clause 15 of his appointment letter dated July 22, 2019.So, even after stricter laws and repeated crackdowns, how do examination papers continue to reach students before the test begins? That is what the university’s action, and any further investigation, will now have to answer.
