Patna University (PU) has cancelled the BEd entrance examination conducted last month, because of gross irregularities.
On November 26, the Patna University administration conducted the BEd entrance test for admission for its two-year courses at Patna Training College and Women's Training College.
Sources said during the examination, it was found that students committed large-scale irregularities at the Patna College Training College centre. Various students' organisations had protested against the use of unfair means in the examination and demanded that the varsity cancel the examination.
The university administration constituted a committee headed by Patna University pro-vice-chancellor Ranjeet Kumar Verma to probe the charges of unfair means. The other panel members were Patna Law College principal Rakesh Verma and PU humanities dean Radha Mohan Singh. The committee on Thursday submitted its report to PU vice-chancellor Y.C. Simhadri.
Ranjeet Kumar Verma, the committee head and Pro VC, said: "The committee in its report found that there were irregularities in the examination. To maintain the sanity of examination and university, the committee recommended cancellation of the examination." Sources said the university had issued a notification in vernacular newspapers inviting students and university staff to register their complaint if they had found any irregularities in the examination. The committee had also interacted with student leaders of various organisations, who had demanded cancellation of the entrance test, seeking information about irregularities in the test.
Sources said the committee, in its probe, discovered that no proper frisking was conducted at the examination in the Patna College centre and students were allowed to enter the examination hall with their cellphones.
Sources said as the PU administration has decided to cancel the examination the varsity will issue fresh dates for the examination in a couple of days. Sources said the tentative date for the examination could be in the second week of January.
The students have welcomed the decision of the PU administration.
Chandan Kumar, a BEd aspirant and a student of Patna University, said: "It is good that the university administration is taking cognisance of irregularities in the BEd entrance test and has decided to cancel the exam."
The student said that conducting fresh examination will give an opportunity to students to start afresh preparation for the test.
The BEd entrance test was for Patna Training College and Women's Training College having around 100 seats each in both the institutions. Sources said the PU BEd course is much in demand as compared to other courses. Every year, around 8,000 to 10,000 students appear in the test for admission to the two institutions.
A senior teacher of PU said: "The BEd course offered by PU in the past few years has become more popular after the National Council for Teacher Education and the state government made BEd degree mandatory for teachers." The teacher added that on earlier occasions too there have been cases of irregularities and corruption in BEd entrance tests with candidates even willing to pay Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh for admission in the two-year BEd courses.
