RGPV paper theft: Probe panel fails to submit report on time

Bhopal:The theft of nine sealed B.Tech question-paper envelopes from the examination branch of Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya’s (RGPV) University Teaching Department (UTD) last week has reignited outrage over persistent security failures at the state technical university.

The probe committee appointed to investigate the incident — and tasked with submitting its report by Monday — also failed to deliver its findings on time.The vice-chancellor, Dr. Alok Sharma, summoned UTD Controller of Examinations Archana Tiwari for an explanation in a notice that required a response within three days; that deadline ended on Monday.A university-appointed inquiry committee — Prof. S.S. Bhadauria, Dr.

Raghavendra Singh and Vinay Thapar — has been given the responsibility to probe the episode and submit its findings, while police and forensic teams have been asked to intensify investigations. Progress slowed from day one but authorities said probes would resume in earnest on Monday, with officials, students and others to be questioned.When contacted, probe committee chairperson Prof Bhadauria told TOI that the committee would be able to submit report by Tuesday.

“One of the committee members was hospitalized. Nevertheless, committee will try to submit report by Tuesday,” said apeof Bhadauria.Students and parents say the sensational breach is not an isolated lapse but a symptom of systemic rot. Over recent years, RGPV has repeatedly failed to safeguard the sanctity of its examinations, senior faculty say, with a pattern of internal inquiries and muted administrative responses replacing criminal investigation.In April 2026, a Diploma in Pharmacy question paper allegedly went viral on WhatsApp an hour before the exam, with footage showing transactions outside an affiliated institute in Gwalior. Although an FIR was lodged, the matter remains unresolved — critics complain the administration has been slow to pursue accountability.In June 2022, an RGPV Polytechnic examinee was wrongly marked ‘absent’ and forced to retake an exam in December, despite CCTV evidence and the student’s original answer sheet proving he had taken and passed the test.In October 2023, recordings and transactions revealed papers allegedly sold to students. Some faculty were dismissed after an internal inquiry, but parents and academics say the repeated reliance on internal committees and administrative discipline, rather than FIRs and transparent prosecutions, has allowed malpractice to persist.Former cases of theft from locked rooms and the controversial encashment and return of a Rs 40 lakh cheque further fuel distrust.

“When serious irregularities are routinely dealt with behind closed doors, it only emboldens those who profit from the system,” a senior faculty commented.As the latest multi-pronged investigation begins, students and teachers demand a transparent process, criminal prosecutions where warranted, and urgent systemic reforms to prevent future breaches that continue to undermine student confidence and the university’s credibility.