A Breach in Odisha’s Education System
In a serious setback to the integrity of Odisha’s education system, a major question paper leak has rocked the state’s Special Odisha Teacher Eligibility Test (OTET), leading to the arrest of a senior education official. Nihar Ranjan Mohanty, the Vice-President of the Board of Secondary Education (BSE), was arrested by the Crime Branch for his alleged involvement in the high-profile leak, triggering a storm of controversy and prompting swift disciplinary action.
The paper leak, which undermined the credibility of a crucial eligibility test for government school teachers, has prompted a state-wide investigation, exposing systemic lapses in handling confidential examination materials.
Arrest and Suspension: Top Official Held Accountable
Following Mohanty’s arrest on Sunday, BSE President Srikant Tarai ordered his immediate suspension from duty. This action came shortly after the Crime Branch confirmed that Mohanty had a direct role in the chain of events that led to the leak. His arrest brings the total number of individuals taken into custody in connection with the scandal to eight.
Crime Branch officials revealed that the investigation into Mohanty’s financial activities has also begun, and efforts are underway to seek his custodial remand for deeper interrogation.
Chain of Complicity: How the Leak Unfolded
According to the Crime Branch, Mohanty had forwarded the OTET question paper manuscripts to a printing press. Once printed, the papers were sent back to him for final corrections — a process that allegedly lacked proper safeguards. During this window of vulnerability, Jitan Moharana, a data entry operator at BSE, reportedly accessed Mohanty’s laptop and illegally downloaded the question paper, which was later circulated.
DIG B Gangadhar confirmed that the failure to implement even basic digital security protocols allowed the breach. Moharana’s unauthorized access to sensitive files was a direct consequence of this negligence, investigators said.
Wider Nexus: Brokers, Teachers, and Association Leaders Implicated
The investigation has uncovered a wider network involved in the illegal distribution of the leaked papers. Apart from Moharana, the Crime Branch has arrested several others who played varying roles in the leak and its dissemination.
Among them are Bijay Mishra, working president of the State Ex-cadre Teachers’ Association, and Sanatan Bisoi, head of the association’s Koraput unit. These individuals allegedly collaborated with a trio of brokers — Ramjee Prasad Gupta, Ajay Sahoo, and Jayant Rout — to sell the stolen papers. A teacher from Kalahandi district, Prasant Kumar Khamari, was also apprehended after handwritten versions of the leaked papers he created went viral on social media platforms.
A Wake-Up Call for Examination Reforms
The arrest and suspension of a top BSE official in the OTET paper leak case have not only revealed deep-rooted vulnerabilities in the examination system but also raised serious concerns about accountability at the highest levels. As the investigation continues, authorities are under pressure to overhaul exam security mechanisms and restore public trust in the state’s education and recruitment processes. With more revelations likely, this incident could become a catalyst for long-overdue reforms in how competitive exams are conducted and safeguarded in Odisha.
(With agency inputs)
