Cuttack, Aug 21: The Odisha Teacher Eligibility Test (OTET) 2025, scheduled for August 31, has been officially postponed. The Board of Secondary Education (BSE) issued a notification confirming the cancellation and assured that a new date would be announced soon.

The question paper leak has triggered a full-scale investigation by the Odisha Crime Branch, which has taken two key accused — Jitan Moharana, a data entry operator, and Bijaya Mishra, a teacher — on a two-day remand. Both individuals are suspected of playing central roles in the leak and are being interrogated to uncover the financial and operational network behind the scam.

The investigation has already led to eight arrests, including BSE Vice-President Nihar Ranjan Mohanty and other intermediaries. Officials believe the leak was not an isolated incident but part of a well-organized racket involving insiders within the Board and external collaborators.

The scandal broke when the OTET question paper surfaced online ahead of the scheduled exam, prompting outrage among thousands of teaching aspirants. The School and Mass Education Department has promised a re-test under tighter security and warned of strict action against those found guilty.

The Crime Branch is examining bank records, cash transactions, and communication logs to trace the full extent of the conspiracy.