PU board warns of action against students, principal of nodal centre in case of paper leak

The Department of School Education (Pre-university), in response to the question paper leak incidents during the recently concluded II PUC Preparatory Exam-1, has taken steps to conduct the Preparatory Exam-2 strictly. The exams will begin on January 19.

In a circular issued in this regard, the director of the department has warned that if the question papers are leaked from the nodal centre, an FIR will be registered against the principal of the nodal centre and legal action will be taken in addition to disciplinary action under the Karnataka Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Act 1957.

The department has warned that if the students circulate the question papers on WhatsApp, YouTube, Instagram, or any other social media, legal action will be taken against them as well.

This time, the State government has taken steps to conduct two preparatory examinations for II PUC and three preparatory exams for SSLC, and the preparatory exam-1 was held from January 5. The II PUC and SSLC preparatory examination papers were leaked on social media in Shivamogga, Tumakuru and Kalaburagi .

The police arrested eight persons, including government school teachers, in connection with the leak of SSLC exam question papers.

“If the aided colleges do not maintain confidentiality or if they cause the question papers to be leaked, a recommendation will be made to the government to withdraw the college’s grant as per the rules. If the unaided/affiliated colleges do not maintain confidentiality or if they cause the question papers to be leaked, the college’s recognition will be permanently cancelled as per the rules,” stated the circular.

The Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB) has been asked to recommend that the said examination centre be cancelled in case confidentiality is not maintained or there is a paper leak.

“The Deputy Director of Pre-Universities (DDPU) of the districts concerned should identify the printing house in their district. No private printing activities should be carried out after the printing of the question paper has started. Private persons should be prohibited from entering the printing house. After the printing work is completed, the soft copy of the question papers should be deleted and the extra printed question papers should be destroyed. A certificate should be issued jointly by the DDPU and the printer in this regard,” reads the circular.

“Under the supervision of the DDPU, the printing, packing and sealing of the question papers having the watermark of the Nodal Centre shall be carried out in the designated printing house using a non-tamperable seal. Downloading the question papers on a single computer under the same IP address is mandatory. The IP address will be monitored by the central office. If it is found that the download has been made on more than one IP address, legal action will be taken against the concerned DDPU,” it further stated.