The entrance test for the Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) in West Bengal, scheduled on 28^th June, was cancelled after reports that examination papers were leaked in several districts. The episode exposed another scam in anarchical education sector in the state.

The report of question-paper leak was first published in Ganashakti. On the day of the scheduled examination Ganashakti carried reports of not only leak but selective sale of papers, allegedly through TMC leaders in some districts. The report was substantiated by facsimile of papers. It was reported that the questions papers were available in Nadia, Hooghly, Burdwan and some other districts in exchange for huge amount of money. It would have been a total farce if the examination was proceeded to. Nearly 1 lakh and 33 thousand students were scheduled to sit for the examination.

Within few hours of publication of the report with clinching evidence, the Technical Education and Training Department was forced to announce cancellation of examinations. It led to protests and outbursts in some examination centres as well. The examination was rescheduled to 5^th July.

Under pressure, the state government declared an inquiry into the incident. However, the Minister in Charge Ujjwal Biswas castigated CPI(M) and Ganashakti for the leak and hinted a ‘conspiracy of opposition’. This has already become a trade mark practice for TMC government to categorize any failure of them as ‘conspiracy’.

Details began to emerge and the needle of suspicion turned towards the ruling party again. While the Minister was busy in abrogating any responsibility, Ganashakti again reported that the police was informed about the leak at least a day before the examination. The police in Nadia district, home of Technical Education Minister, being informed of such a leak started investigation and detained two students in Kalyani. Both of them are students of ITI in Kalyani. The interrogation led to a local TMC leader and phones began to ring in police station. The detained students were released and the investigation also came to a full stop. Had police moved in urgency, the guilty could have been nabbed even before the story was published in Ganashakti.

More was in store. General Secretary of TMC-affiliated ITI staff Union Parimal Paul, again an instructor in Kalyani ITI, admitted that there was enough indication of paper leak for days before the examination. He also informed the Minister but no precautionary action was taken.

The ‘epicentre’ of the paper leak and sale was Nadia and different names of close acquaintances of the Minister propped up. It has already been doubted whether the departmental or police enquiry would lead to successful culmination. It has become natural for state police to shield the criminals close to the ruling party.

Surya Misra, leader of the opposition, has demanded proper enquiry of the episode. SFI organized a protest march in Kolkata demanding thorough probe.