PUC exam postponed in Karnataka after question paper leak, students angry

Several angry students and parents staged protest on Thursday over repeated 12th standard question paper leak and demanded the resgination of Education Minister K. Ratnakar.

The second Pre-University Chemistry (PUC) re-examination that was scheduled for today, following a question paper leak has been postponed.

After the paper leak confirmation, the exam was postponed for March 31.

The re-examination, initially scheduled for March 29, was postponed following protests demanding the withdrawal of the re-examination.

The students and their parents staged a protest outside the Department of Pre-University Education (DPUE) and pelted stones at the PUC building.

"They once again want us to write the examination. Still, the paper got leaked. We asked whether these papers would also get leaked. They assured us saying no such things will happen. Then, why has this happened?" asked one of the students.

Another angry student staging the protest said they demanded justice and alleged the Education Ministry of ruining the students' future.

"When you put a re-exam, can't you protect a single question paper? What is the chance that even the third question paper won't leak? We want them to correct the first question paper. We are not going to write any more re-examination," she said.

The parents also expressed anguish over the repeated 12th standard question paper leak.

The PUC examination took place on March 21 which was later postponed and rescheduled for today due to the question paper leak.

Preliminary inquiry revealed that the chemistry paper was leaked near an exam centre in a women's college at Ballari, about 330km from Bengaluru, and at a state-run college at Malur in Kolar district in Karnataka.

The PUC exams in the state, equivalent to second year intermediate course or Class 12 in central schools, began on March 11 across the state.

As many as 6.5 lakh students will be appearing for this exams in the coming academic year.