A day after Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsar, provided multiple choice question paper to candidates appearing in the Punjab State Teachers Eligibility Test (PSTET) with 50 answers marked in bold, Punjab Government on Monday cancelled the exam. The GNDU has been asked to conduct the paper again as soon as possible without charging any fee.
Taking strong note of the irregularities in the PSTET, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann orders to place under suspension two professors of GNDU-Amritsar — Dr Hardeep Singh from Department of Computer Science and Dr Ravinder Singh Sawhney from Department of Electronics Technology, while ordering their immediate arrest.
The Chief Minister also directed the Police to act strictly against the perpetrators of irregularities in the PSTET paper; and take exemplary action against the guilty so that it acts as a deterrent for others.
Meanwhile, the state Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains has also ordered a Principal Secretary-level probe into the goof-up.
“The matter was come to my notice that grave irregularities have been found during the Punjab State Teacher Eligibility Test held on Sunday. I have issued an order to conduct time-bound inquiry by Principal Secretary level officer,” said the Minister while asking that a criminal case should be registered against the perpetrators of this heinous crime.
“To maintain complete fairness in the examination process, a principal secretary-level probe has been ordered to look into the PSTET exam conducted by a third Party with A++ NAAC grade i.e. GNDU,” Bains tweeted earlier in the day. “Accountability will be fixed and those found guilty will be booked for criminal negligence,” he added.
Apart from this, the Cabinet Minister also instructed GNDU to conduct the paper again as soon as possible without charging any fee. “GNDU has regretted and will re-conduct the exam without any fees,” he said in another tweet.
Directions have also been issued to the officials of the School Education Department to incorporate a clause in the contract with the third party regarding conducting examinations on behalf of the Department that if any irregularities will be found, the executing agency or organization will pay the suitable compensation to the students.
“In future, have ordered my department to have a suitable clause for compensation in the MOU’s signed with third parties for compensation of the candidates in such a scenario. Why should candidates suffer” Bains said in another tweet.
Irregularities in PSTET is Fraud with Careers of State’s Youth: CM
Chief Minister Mann said that the irregularities in PSTET exam is a fraud with the careers of the youth which can never be tolerated. “This is a heinous crime which is unwarranted and undesirable…and that is why I have directed the Police to take stringent action against the culprits,” he said.
This is a government of hope and new Punjab, said Mann, adding that any such breach of trust is not at all acceptable.
The Chief Minister said that the State Government is duty bound to ensure that the guilty of this case is out behind the bars at the earliest. Mann unequivocally said that any sort of callousness in this prestigious exam will not be tolerated; and “no one, however affluent he may be, will be spared in this case”.
GNDU to Re-Conduct Exam
GNDU-Amritsar, which conducted the PSTET exam on Sunday, announced that a re-exam will be held for all candidates “at the earliest”.
“The paper has been cancelled. Inconvenience to candidates is regretted. Fresh paper will be held at the earliest. Report is being submitted to the State Council of Educational Research and Training,” said a GNDU official, adding that the candidates do not have to pay any additional fee for the re-exam.
As per information available, most of the correct answers in the Social Studies exam, with multiple choice questions, were marked in bold. Over one lakh candidates appeared for the exam in centres across Punjab. The social studies section of Paper-2 of the PSTET is a qualifying test to become a trained graduate teacher for Classes VI to VIII.
Following the lapse, the GNDU had also announced a probe committee, comprising professors TS Banipal and Amit Kauta.
Punjab BJP Demands CBI Probe
Punjab BJP state vice president Subhash Sharma on Monday demanded a CBI inquiry into the malpractice in PSTET for Master Cadre saying that the Punjab Government is under suspicion for this mess. He asked how 48 answers out of 60 questions of Social Studies exam have been highlighted, saying that it was a very serious matter.
“AAP Government had earlier also committed a scandal in the recruitment of Naib Tehsildar in which they made their favourites pass the test. Even now, it seems that the Government did all this for its loved ones but they were caught by mistake. No action has been taken yet against the culprits of the earlier scam, so we have no confidence in the Government's investigation committee and that is why BJP demands a CBI investigation into the matter,” he said.
