Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu on Tuesday claimed that the question paper of the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) was not leaked.

Ranoj Pegu reacted to a journalist’s question regarding the recent paper leak incidents of the HSLC exam.

He claimed, “Question paper was not leaked. If the paper was leaked within one hour of the start of the examination, then provide evidence.”

Pegu said, “Fake information was spread on media channels and nothing else. We have ordered a probe into the matter.”

He urged everyone to provide information regarding the matter.

Pegu further said that action has been taken against the ones who were involved in cheating.

He has directed the district commissioners to provide detailed information on the matter based on which action will be taken.

“There is no need to form a committee for inquiry,” he said.

Earlier, amid reports over alleged malpractices during the ongoing HSLC examination on March 3 for English subject at JR Higher Secondary School centre in Cachar district, the Board of Secondary Education (SEBA) had decided all the 760 students of that particular centre will have to re-appear for English subject, in the Compartmental examination, 2023 to be held in due course.

The direction came after Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took cognizance of the incidents of cheating and paper leaks and asked SEBA to take action against the examination centres where paper leak incidents are taking place.

Following the direction of the Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, SEBA had issued a notification stating that a section of candidates of centre no. B23-0138, JR Higher Secondary School, Ganirgram of Cachar district was reported to have used unfair means during examination hours.

“That, it believed that the sanctity of the examination in the said examination centre was compromised due to such malpractices adopted in the centre. On the basis of the stated report, SEBA has decided that all the 760 numbers of students of that particular centre have to re-appear for English subject, in the Compartmental examination, 2023,” the notification read.

Meanwhile, SEBA had also stated that answer scripts of the students of JR Higher Secondary School, Ganirgram of English subject held on March 3, 2023, shall not be evaluated.

Subsequently, on the second day of HSLC examination, the question paper for Mathematics subject was leaked on Monday.

According to sources, the paper leak incident was reported in Cachar district where the question paper went viral 15 minutes after the start of Mathematics exam.

Few pictures of the question paper also went viral on social media platforms.

It was suspected that the pictures of the question paper were leaked from an examination centre in Lakhipur.

Earlier, on the very first day of the exam, the question paper of English subject was reportedly leaked from Barpeta district.  

However, the SEBA secretary and exam controller Narnarayan Nath had termed the media reports to be false and baseless.  

Speaking to the media, Narnarayan Nath said, “The reports of about the English paper leak in the current HSLC exam are false and baseless. We are taking utmost care and maintaining vigilance, hence, leakage of question paper doesn’t arise. Moreover, the question paper went viral on social media almost 2 hours after the exam started. Had it would have been in the morning hours, one can claim it as a leak.”  

Nath also stated that the pictures which were doing the rounds on social media were shared from Barpeta district and accordingly, directed the school inspector to monitor the matter.