Bhubaneswar, 05 August (H.S.): A three-member inquiry committee constituted by the Odisha Health Department on Wednesday began its investigation into the alleged leak of postgraduate (PG) medical examination question papers at MKCG Medical College and Hospital (MKCGMCH) in Berhampur.

The committee visited the institution to examine the circumstances surrounding the alleged incident and is currently scrutinising CCTV footage and other available evidence to ascertain how confidential question papers were allegedly circulated prior to the commencement of the examinations.

The inquiry panel comprises Health Department Special Secretary Bijay Kumar Das, Additional Secretary Dr. Bijay Kumar Mishra, and Joint Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET) Dr. Anil Kumar Mishra.

The probe follows serious allegations that question papers for the Odisha University of Health Sciences (OUHS)-conducted PG examinations were circulated via WhatsApp minutes before the exams began.

According to reports, question papers for examinations held on July 21 and July 27 were allegedly shared at around 9:58 AM—just two minutes ahead of the scheduled 10:00 AM start time. It has also been alleged that a dedicated WhatsApp group, involving students from multiple medical colleges, was used to disseminate the papers.

The investigation team is expected to verify the authenticity of these claims, identify individuals involved, and recommend appropriate action based on its findings. The outcome of the probe is being closely watched, as the allegations have raised serious concerns regarding the integrity and security of the state’s postgraduate medical examination system.

Responding to the controversy, OUHS Vice-Chancellor Prof. Manash Ranjan Sahoo ранее clarified that the incident should be treated as a case of malpractice rather than a question paper leak.

“It is not a case of question paper leak. After the question paper was distributed, it went outside the examination hall. Hence, it is a case of malpractice. The university has stringent guidelines to deal with such cases, and a disciplinary committee has been constituted. If any malpractice is established, action will be taken as per the prescribed norms,” the Vice-Chancellor stated.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda