Goa Univ cancels 2 MBBS exams after paper leak

Goa University on Monday cancelled two MBBS final year exams after alleged leakage of question papers at Goa Medical College.

The question papers of General Medicine-I and General Medicine-II were leaked to students prior to the exam, Goa Medical College Dean V Jindal told media persons.

After cross checking the leaked papers with the original sets, it was found that mostly all the questions matched, he said, adding, a three-member committee has been formed to inquire into the incident.

"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 cancelled two papers -- General Medicine I and II -- immediately after a local newspaper report about the question papers being leaked was brought to the notice of the authorities, he said.

"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.

About 100 students were to write the paper that was cancelled on Monday, hours before its scheduled time.

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, Deobagkar said.

"The paper setting system that we have is foolproof and universal," he 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, the Dean said.

The exams have been re-scheduled and the next date would be announced soon, Jindal said.