Bhubaneswar, Aug 5: In a major development, Nihar Ranjan Mohanty, Vice-President of the Board of Secondary Education (BSE), Odisha, has been suspended a day after his arrest by the Crime Branch in connection with the Odisha Teacher Eligibility Test (OTET) question paper leak scandal.

Mohanty was taken into custody following interrogation that revealed his alleged role in enabling access to the confidential question paper. Investigators found that Mohanty had violated examination protocols by allowing a data entry operator, Jitan Moharana, unauthorized access to his laptop, from which the question paper was leaked. Call records showed over 100 interactions between the two outside office hours over the past three months.

The leak led to the abrupt cancellation of the Special OTET-2025 exam scheduled for July 20, affecting over 75,000 in-service primary school teachers across 193 centres in Odisha. The handwritten question paper had gone viral on social media the night before the exam, triggering outrage and disappointment among candidates.

Following Mohanty’s arrest, the total number of individuals apprehended in the case has risen to eight. Other arrests include Moharana, teacher Prasant Kumar Khamari, and members of the State Ex-cadre Teachers’ Association, who allegedly sold the leaked papers to brokers.

The BSE has announced that the rescheduled Special OTET will be held on August 31. Meanwhile, the Crime Branch continues its investigation, including financial probes and scrutiny of examination protocols to identify further lapses.

Mohanty’s suspension marks a decisive step by the Mohan Majhi government to restore credibility in the state’s examination system and ensure accountability at the highest levels.

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