Jeypore,Odisha : Imagine preparing for an examination, reaching the final hours before the test and suddenly, the question paper allegedly appears on WhatsApp. A major examination controversy has erupted at Vikram Dev University in Jeypore, Odisha, after a purported question paper for the Plus-III Second Semester compulsory English examination was reportedly circulated on WhatsApp just hours before the scheduled test.

The development prompted the university authorities to take an immediate decision to postpone the examination, raising serious questions about how the paper allegedly reached social media before the test and whether the viral document was genuine or deliberately circulated to create confusion among students.

The examination was being conducted under the Ability Enhancement Course (AEC) and was scheduled for students of Arts, Science and Commerce streams. According to the original schedule, the examination was to be held from 2 PM to 5 PM on September 19 across around 52 examination centres under the university.

However, the situation changed dramatically just a few hours before the examination. According to Examination Controller Ranjan Pradhan, university authorities received information from some students at around 11 AM that a purported question paper had already appeared in WhatsApp groups. With only around three hours remaining before the scheduled examination, the university administration immediately began examining the viral document.

Concerned about maintaining the fairness and credibility of the examination, officials decided that proceeding with the test could create confusion and raise questions over its integrity, leading to the postponement of the examination. The university has now approached the Koraput Cyber Police Station, filing a complaint so that investigators can trace how the purported question paper reached WhatsApp and identify those responsible for circulating it. One of the biggest questions before investigators is whether the viral paper was actually the original examination paper or merely a fake document designed to mislead students.

The cyber investigation is expected to examine the digital trail behind the circulation, while authorities will also compare the circulated paper with the official examination paper to determine whether there was any actual leak. The university administration has indicated that the possibility of a mischievous act cannot be ruled out at this stage. For students who had spent days preparing for the examination, the sudden postponement came as a major shock, particularly because the test was scheduled to begin within just a few hours of the alleged WhatsApp circulation.

The university is expected to conduct the postponed examination with a fresh question paper, while the new date and examination timing will be announced separately through official channels. Authorities have also appealed to students not to trust or forward unverified WhatsApp messages, screenshots or social-media posts related to the examination.

Students have been advised to rely only on official university notifications for information regarding the rescheduled test. For now, the alleged question-paper leak remains under investigation, and the crucial mystery is whether the document circulating online was the real paper or a carefully created fake.

As the cyber police begin tracing the digital trail, hundreds of students are left waiting for clarity and for the university to announce when they will finally sit for the postponed examination.