Amid NEET Paper Leak Row, Odisha Medical PG Exam Question Paper Circulated on WhatsApp
Indiadailyupdate.com – Amid NEET paper leak row Odisha has witnessed another significant academic controversy as the question paper for the All Odisha Medical PG Examination was reportedly circulated on WhatsApp during the ongoing theory examination on July 27. This development comes at a critical time when the Centre has already passed the anti-paper leak bill following widespread student protests across the country. The leaked document pertains to the second paper for General Surgery, covering the MS/MD course for the 2023-26 batch. According to officials, the question paper was shared through several WhatsApp groups that had been specifically formed by postgraduate medical students. In addition to the question paper itself, answers were also being forwarded from certain mobile numbers while the examination was still in progress, raising concerns about the integrity of the testing process.
How the Leak Was Discovered
The incident came to light when a private medical college student in Bhubaneswar promptly flagged the issue after receiving photographs of the question paper. The student revealed that the question paper was accessed from a WhatsApp group that had been created by a student of MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur. This particular institution is hosting a total of 154 students for the current examination, making it one of the larger centers for the test. The swift action of the student in reporting the matter helped authorities identify the source of the leak and take immediate corrective measures.
Following this revelation, Odisha University of Health Sciences (OUHS) vice-chancellor Manas Ranjan Sahoo called an urgent virtual meeting with medical college principals across the state. During this meeting, officials asked all institutions to tighten security protocols for the upcoming examinations. Two more exams are scheduled to take place on August 1 and August 5, and authorities are determined to prevent any further incidents. MKCG Medical College and Hospital dean-cum-principal Harekrushna Dalai clarified that it was not a traditional paper leak since the document emerged from within the exam hall rather than being leaked before the examination began.
“Despite our routine checking and disallowing of mobile phone sets in the exam hall, we are surprised to find such instances. We wonder what type of electronic devices were used to share images of the question paper,” he added.
The timing of this incident is particularly significant given the broader context of academic integrity concerns in India. Amid NEET paper leak row Odisha’s medical examination authorities are now reviewing their security measures to ensure that similar incidents do not occur in future examinations. The use of WhatsApp groups by students to share examination materials has become a growing concern, prompting educational institutions to reconsider their policies regarding electronic devices during tests. Officials are particularly interested in understanding the technology being used to capture and transmit images of the question paper in real-time during the examination.
As the medical community watches this development closely, the OUHS is expected to issue further guidelines to prevent paper circulation through digital platforms. The incident has also sparked discussions about the need for stricter monitoring of mobile phones and other electronic devices in examination halls. With two more exams scheduled in the coming days, all medical colleges in Odisha are on high alert to ensure that the examination process remains fair and transparent for all candidates.
