4 min readDehradunUpdated: Jul 24, 2026 04:26 AM IST
Uttarakhand Technical University has cancelled two examinations for the current semester after one of the papers was allegedly leaked by an external paper setter. Later in the evening on Thursday, the paper setter was arrested.
According to the order cancelling the exams, which will affect students of 12 institutes affiliated with the Veer Madho Singh Bhandari Uttarakhand Technical University, Dehradun, the Controller of Examinations, Dr V K Patel, said that the university received a complaint regarding the Machine Learning for Internet of Things examination.
After multiple committee inquiries by the university and the institution, which reported the leak, it was found that the external paper setter for the subject had allegedly shared questions identical to those appearing in the examination with students through the institution’s internal portal/WhatsApp before the examination. The inquiry also revealed that another question paper prepared by the same faculty member, Electromagnetic Field Theory, was also suspected to have been leaked.
“The cancelled examinations for both subjects will be re-conducted during the third week of August 2026… All institutions are requested to immediately inform the concerned students about this important decision so that they can adequately prepare for the re-examinations within the stipulated time,” the order said.
The paper setter has been “debarred with immediate effect from all examination-related work of the University for the next seven years”, the order said. The Controller of Examinations also issued a warning to the college for not maintaining “adequate supervision and institutional control”.
The director of Shivalik College of Engineering, Dr T S Sidhu, told The Indian Express that the professor allegedly shared around 50 questions with students on a WhatsApp group, which later appeared in the question paper he had set after the breach, adding that he has been terminated.
In the termination letter, the director said that a complaint regarding the leak was received on July 8. “Based on the preliminary findings, an inquiry committee was constituted by the registrar on July 10. The Committee submitted its report on July 13, following which disciplinary action was initiated against you by the institute on July 14 (debarred from setting the question paper for three years),” it said.
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Subsequently, the university, after examining the matter, in a letter dated July 22, held the paper setter responsible for the leak of the examination question paper and debarred him from all examination-related activities of the university for seven years.
“In view of the above findings of the University and considering the seriousness of the misconduct, your actions constitute a grave breach of trust and professional ethics, rendering your continuance in service detrimental to the interests and reputation of the Institution. Accordingly, in exercise of the powers conferred under Clause No. 15 of your Appointment Letter dated July 22, 2019, your services as Assistant Professor are hereby terminated with immediate effect,” the letter said.
In September last year, the state had witnessed widespread protests against an alleged leak of the question paper for an exam conducted by the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission. In 2023, another major wave of protests had hit the state following allegations that the question paper was sold to aspirants in the UKPSC patwari and accountant exam, which was subsequently cancelled. The BJP government was forced to bring in legislation to crack down on cheating soon after.
