Bhubaneswar, Sep 18 (IANS) The opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Friday strongly criticised the state government over the alleged leak of the question paper for the +3 Second Semester Examination at Utkal University, calling it another serious blow to students and Odisha's youth under the double-engine government.

The party alleged that in just two years of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led double-engine government, students and job aspirants across the state have faced 25 instances of examination failures, cancellations, postponements, question-paper irregularities, and other examination-related lapses.

“The latest incident at Utkal University has once again raised serious questions about the government’s ability to conduct examinations in a fair, transparent, and secure manner,” the party said in an official statement.

The BJD noted that students spend months preparing for examinations, while their families make considerable financial and personal sacrifices for their education and careers. Every cancellation, postponement, question-paper error, or alleged leak creates uncertainty for thousands of students, disrupts academic plans, and causes additional financial and mental stress.

The party said the reported Utkal University incident is not an isolated occurrence, referring to 25 examination-related failures and irregularities reported during the period.

BJD Spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said students and youth should not repeatedly pay the price for administrative and examination management failures. He added that the government must take immediate steps to restore confidence in the examination system and ensure that examinations are conducted with complete transparency, accountability, and security.

Mohanty demanded that every serious examination-related irregularity be investigated in a time-bound and transparent manner, with responsibility fixed wherever negligence or procedural lapses are established. He also called for stronger question-paper security, secure examination-centre management, strict monitoring mechanisms, and a comprehensive review of examination procedures followed by universities, recruitment boards, and other examining authorities.

The BJD said Odisha’s students and youth cannot be treated casually. The government must move beyond slogans and take concrete measures to ensure a fair, secure, transparent, and accountable examination system across the state.

--IANS

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