UP Students Clear Exam With ‘Jai Shri Ram’ Answers, Professors Suspended

NDTV has accessed the answer sheets where Jai Shri Ram appears in the middle of the answer. First year students at an Uttar Pradesh University allegedly aced the exam by writing ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and names of cricketers in the answer sheet.

However, two professors at state-run Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University in Jaunpur were suspended for allegedly extorting money from students in exchange for marks on answer sheets written with songs, music, and religious slogans. Student leader Divyanshu Singh alleged in a letter to the Prime Minister, Chief Minister, Governor and Vice Chancellor that some university officials connived to pass students who got zero marks by giving them more than 60 percent marks.

Vice-Chancellor Vandana Singh confirmed that a committee was constituted to investigate the allegations and found that students had been awarded more marks. She also stated that she had not seen the answer sheet with Jai Shri Ram answers, and the handwriting was not very clear in a relevant copy.

The Raj Bhavan wrote a letter to the Vice-Chancellor of the University, directing action be taken in the matter. Notably, in the accessed answer sheets, Jai Shri Ram appeared in the middle of the answer about ‘pharmacy as a career’, along with the names of cricketers like Hardik Pandya, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma.

The examiners, Dr. Vinay Verma and Manish Gupta, were suspended in the examination committee meeting. The Vice-Chancellor said that teachers have been warned to ensure such incidents are not repeated and the committee has recommended termination for the involved teachers.

However, further action will be delayed until the model code of conduct is lifted.