The Assam paper leak scandal has sparked widespread outrage among student organizations. Leading student bodies, including the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), Students' Federation of India (SFI), Satra Mukti Sangram Samiti (SMSS), and the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), have expressed their dissatisfaction with the state government’s handling of the situation.
Assam Paper Leak Controversy 2025
Assam Class 11 Question Paper Leak 2025: The Assam state board has decided to cancel all Class 11 examinations scheduled from March 24 to 29, affecting 36 subjects, following reports of multiple paper leaks. Education Minister Ranoj Pegu announced the cancellation, citing breaches of protocol and allegations of question paper leaks at various locations. This decision comes after the Higher Secondary first year Mathematics paper, initially scheduled for March 21, was leaked, prompting the cancellation of that exam and the filing of a police complaint.
Student Bodies Demand Accountability from Assam Government
The paper leak scandal has sparked widespread outrage among student organizations. Leading student bodies, including the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), Students' Federation of India (SFI), Satra Mukti Sangram Samiti (SMSS), and the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), have expressed their dissatisfaction with the state government’s handling of the situation. They have called for the resignation of Education Minister Ranoj Pegu and the suspension of Assam State School Education Board (ASSEB) chief R C Jain. These groups have emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the leaks and stronger measures to protect the integrity of examinations.
Mathematics Paper Leak Sparks Widespread Concerns
The controversy first erupted when the Mathematics paper for the Higher Secondary first-year exams was leaked on March 20, a day before the scheduled examination. According to Minister Pegu, 18 schools across the state, including three government institutions, were involved in breaking the security seal of the Mathematics question paper, leading to the leak. Following the incident, ASSEB suspended the affiliation of 15 private schools in 10 districts for violating examination protocols. Police complaints have been filed, and these schools have been barred from admitting Class 11 students for the 2025-26 academic year.
Authorities Take Action: FIRs Filed and Investigations Underway
In response to the leaks, the Assam government has initiated a police investigation. An FIR has been lodged at the CID headquarters in Guwahati, and 18 additional cases will be filed at various police stations. The investigation will focus on identifying the culprits behind the paper leaks, with authorities noting that not all of the 18 centres involved may have been responsible for the leaks. Police are optimistic that a detailed probe will identify the perpetrators.
Minister Pegu Announces New Examination Schedule
Minister Pegu announced that a new schedule for the remaining exams will be determined in a meeting of the Board scheduled for Monday. The cancellation of the exams has left many students uncertain, particularly as they had worked hard to prepare for the exams under difficult circumstances. Pegu reassured students that measures would be taken to ensure the rescheduling of exams in a transparent and fair manner.
Student Bodies Call for Resignations and Investigation
The series of leaks has sparked severe criticism from various student groups. NSUI Assam president Krishanu Baruah condemned the government's failure to prevent the leaks, calling it a reflection of systemic issues in the state's education system. "Despite repeated incidents of paper leaks, the administration has not taken adequate measures to prevent such occurrences. The consequences of these leaks are devastating for students who worked hard for their exams," Baruah said.
SFI state secretary Sangita Das accused the Assam government of allowing paper leaks to become a regular occurrence under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. "We protested in 2019 over similar issues and demanded the resignation of R C Jain, but no investigation was conducted. Now the same corrupt official has been reinstated as ASSEB chairman," Das said. She called for a high-level inquiry into the matter and demanded the suspension of Jain and the resignation of Pegu.
SMSS general secretary Pranjal Kalita also criticized the government, accusing it of undermining the educational system in Assam. "The Assam government is setting a world record in leaking exam papers. Education Minister Pegu must admit his failure and step down," he stated.
AASU Demands Justice for Affected Students
AASU president Utpal Sarma expressed concern over the failure to maintain confidentiality during the examination process. "Maintaining confidentiality is the primary duty of any examination body, but the ASSEB has failed to do so. We demand a proper investigation and exemplary action against those responsible," he said.
As investigations continue, students and parents are awaiting clarity on the rescheduling of exams and the actions that will be taken to prevent further disruptions to the examination process. The state government is under increasing pressure to restore trust in the integrity of the education system and ensure that similar incidents do not occur in the future.
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