BHUBANESWAR/BERHAMPUR : The Health and Family Welfare department has constituted a three-member committee to investigate all aspects of the alleged question paper leak in the MKCG Medical College and Hospital at Berhampur.
A release from the department said the high-level committee will also probe into possible lapses on the part of the Odisha University of Health Sciences (OUHS), which conducted the examination. The committee has been asked to submit report within two weeks.
The committee comprises additional secretary in Health and Family Welfare department Bijay Kumar Dash, special secretary to government Bijay Kumar Mishra and joint DMET Anil Kumar Sahu.
The release further said according to preliminary inquiry, this was not a case of question paper leak. During the ongoing postgraduate (PG) examination, someone took photos of the question paper and sent those via phone due to a lapse in examination management, it added.
Stating that OUHS has also sought clarification from MKCG MCH regarding the lapse in examination management, the release said the medical college has been asked to respond within two days.
An FIR has also been filed against the MKCG MCH and another private medial college for sending information in a WhatsApp group. The Health department has directed that based on the progress of the investigation and the facts, strict action will be taken as required.
The alleged question paper leak is suspected to have taken place during the PG examination held on July 27 (Monday), which covered over 20 subjects.
Preliminary investigation suggested that a PG student and a senior clerk of MKCG are suspected to be involved in the alleged question paper leak.
There are also claims that the leaked question papers were sold to a private medical college and hospital in Bhubaneswar. However, these allegations are currently under investigation and have not been officially confirmed.
The OUHS has already constituted a five-member committee to investigate the matter. The committee visited the medical college to examine the circumstances surrounding the alleged leak.
The MKCG MCH has also launched an internal probe to determine how the question paper was photographed and circulated through WhatsApp.
