A day after the Punjab State Teachers Eligibility Test (PSTET)-2023 was conducted amid allegations that correct answers for many multiple choice questions in one paper were highlighted in bold font, the state government Monday cancelled the examination and ordered a high-level probe into the matter.
In a statement, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann said that two Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) professors have been suspended. Mann said that two professors— Dr. Hardeep Singh from the department of computer science and Dr. Ravinder Singh Sawhney from, the department of electronics technology- have been suspended immediately.
Meanwhile, Mann said that had directed the police department to immediately arrest the perpetrators of the TET exam irregularities. He has asked the police ‘to take exemplary action against the guilty to act as a deterrent for others.’
Mann said that irregularities in this exam ‘was a fraud with the careers of the youth which can never be tolerated.’ He said that this is a heinous crime which is unwarranted and undesirable due to which he has directed the Police to take stringent action against the culprits. He said that any such breach of trust is not at all acceptable.
Mann said that the government was duty bound to ensure that the guilty of this case is out behind the bars at the earliest. He said that no one, however affluent he may be, will be spared in this case.
Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains also tweeted that the exam will be conducted again by the GNDU in Amritsar. “To maintain complete fairness in our examination process, a PS level probe has been ordered to look into the PSTET exam conducted by a Third Party with an A++ NAAC grade i.e. GNDU. Accountability will be fixed & those found guilty will be booked for criminal negligence,” Bains tweeted.
In another tweet, he added, “Further, GNDU has regretted & will re-conduct the exam without any fees. In future, have ordered my department to have a suitable clause for compensation in the MoUs signed with third parties for compensation of the candidates in such a scenario. Why should candidates suffer.”
It added that a two-member committee, including Dr. T S Banipal, professor (retired), Department of Chemistry, and Dr Amit Kauts, Professor, Department of Education, has been constituted by the varsity to probe the matter.