The conduct of the Common Entrance Test (CET) for Sarathi, Barti, and Mahajyoti Institutes faced turmoil as students alleged the leakage of question papers, leading to a widespread boycott of the exams. While the students raised concerns about the integrity of the examination, Pune University administration has vehemently denied the allegations, stating that the entire examination process adheres to stringent security standards.
Boycott and Allegations:
Students appearing for the Sarathi, Barti, and Mahajyoti CET exams decided to boycott the examination, claiming that the question papers were leaked. Rahul Sasane, a PhD student and student leader at SPPU, expressed that this was the second instance of the CET exam being conducted for fellowship applicants related to the mentioned institutes. He asserted that the students left the examination centers without attempting the test, alleging that leaked question papers were distributed.
Leaked Question Papers and Unsealed Sets:
The alleged leak involves question papers for four different sets—A, B, C, and D. According to reports, the same leaked question papers were provided to students during the exam at the Kashibai Navale Engineering College in Vadgaon Budruk, Pune. Notably, it was observed that the C and D question papers were not appropriately sealed, further fueling suspicions among students.
University Administration’s Response:
In response to the allegations, the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) administration issued a public statement dismissing the claims. The administration clarified that the Joint Examination for Sarathi, Barti, and Mahajyoti Fellowship students took place on January 10, 2024, through various examination centers in Pune, Kolhapur, Nagpur, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The statement emphasized that the question paper sets were printed confidentially, adhering to security standards, and delivered to examination centers in sealed form. The university maintains that the examination process was transparent at all centers, rendering the allegations baseless
