HYDERABAD:Repeating one or two questions from the previous year’s question paper is not unusual. But students who wrote the Philosophy paper for Osmania University Post Graduation Common Entrance Test (OU PGCET), were taken aback as they realised they were answering the previous year’s question paper.
Though the exam was conducted on June 13, the university realised the blunder only on Wednesday, when members of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) lodged a complaint with the authorities concerned. “How can the entire question paper be same, unless the mistake was made intentionally. The university should probe into the incident and bring the errant officials to book,” demanded Mohd Musavvirali, a student.
Meanwhile, controller of examinations V Appa Rao said that he or his assistants were not responsible for the incident as the paper was set by the subject chairman.
Responding to a query on conducting entrance exam using previous year’s question paper, Osmania University controller of examinations Appa Rao admitted that the question paper used for the examination was same as the one used last year.
“We compared the question papers used for Philosophy exam in 2015 and 2016 and were shocked to see that both were same. The chairman of Philosophy has been asked to verify the papers and give an explanation. Once the paper is verified we will take remedial steps. If needed we will conduct a re-examination,” he said.
Refuting allegations of negligence, Appa Rao said that the subject chairman is responsible for the choice of questions.
“Our job is limited to overseeing the printing, processing and dispatching of question papers to centres. We don’t verify the questions; we only look for printing errors. It is the job of the subject chairman to ensure that the questions are not repeated,” he claimed.
Meanwhile, the students staged a dharna in front of the examination wing demanding an enquiry into the incident.
Opposing the move to conduct a re-examination, the students said it was not the right solution. “There is a black sheep in the examination department,” they alleged. “I don’t know how this mistake happened as I was on leave. It is sheer negligence on the part of the person who prepared the question paper and we can’t tolerate such mistakes. We will form a committee and conduct a thorough inspection. Based on the inspection report, we will take necessary action,” said OU registrar Prof E Suresh Kumar.
