Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia, J. - (1.) The petitioners seek steps for resolving the controversy regarding two different sets of question papers of paper II (Set 1) of the Punjab State Teachers Eligibility Test, 2015 (in short 'PSTET -2015') held on 13.12.2015. Resultantly, they pray for the issuance of grace marks/additional marks for various questions by examination of the anomalies in the question paper. Reliance is placed upon the representation dated 15.12.2015 submitted to the Education Minister, Punjab alongwith copies to the concerned officials.
(2.) The pleaded case of the petitioners is that they had sat in the PSTET -2015 on 13.12.2015 in the examination center in Bhai Gurdas Institute of Engineering end Technology, Sangrur. After examination, the petitioners were shocked to note that the question paper given to them was different from the question paper given to the other candidates and there was a mistake in the answer keys. Respondent no. 3 -Board had uploaded a different answer key on its website with regard to the series 2 question paper, which was removed and another answer key labelled as 'Revised Answer Key (Special)' had been put on the website. The petitioners had thus not managed to qualify and did not achieve the 90 marks on account of different question paper having been supplied to them and they had suffered serious prejudice. Reliance is placed upon the various questions and reference is made to Annexure P -1 wherein, two booklets had been attached of the set I which contained different questions bearing the same serial numbers. Accordingly, it was pleaded that the answer key of the Board could not be correct for the same set.
(3.) In the written statement filed by the respondent -Board, the factum of mistake which has occurred was not denied. It is submitted that there are 150 questions in the examination paper which was divided into two Ss. i.e. A and B. Sec. A was divided into 3 parts, Child Development and Pedagogy for question nos. 1 to 30, Punjabi language in question nos. 31 to 60 and English language in question nos. 61 to 90. This Sec. was compulsory for all candidates. As regards Sec. B, it consists of two options of Maths and Science group and Social Studies group for which 60 questions were provided. In order to prevent cheating, 4 different sets of question papers were prepared which had jumbled up the serial numbers of same questions. Apart from that, one more independent back up unit was made and printed and sent to all nodal centres set up. This back up consisted of papers 1 and 2 comprising different questions of same difficulty level and using the same formula or dividing the each paper into 4 sets. It was only to be used in the unforeseen eventuality of paper leakage and it was to be decided on the spot that which of the two is to be used. The printing had been done from a special printing press outside Punjab approved by the RBI. 6 complaints were received from the entire State regarding the mistake/mis -printing in paper 2 though they had not been given the question paper matching with the other students. 4 of the candidates from one centre of Bhai Gurdas Institute, Sangrur and the other 2 from DAV Edward Senior Secondary School, Tehsil Road Malout, District Muktsar Sahib. The complaints had been made between 14.12.2015 to 18.12.2015. Resultantly, the Chairperson had constituted a High Level Expert Committee on 18.12.2015 comprising of 4 persons including 3 members of different colleges with sound academic background. The Members of the Committee were occupying key positions in the field of education at college/university level as Principals, Professors, Head of Department, Dean of Faculties and Senators. The Committee had held its meeting on 19.12.2015 to sort out the problem regarding the 6 candidates. The problem had arisen due to the mistake which had occurred at the time of packaging and printing of the question papers at the concerned printing press. The question papers had been mixed up with the back up question papers and the central pages from 17 to 32 were the same. The pages earlier and after that were wrongly attached from the paper meant for the back up. The Committee had deliberated on the issue and segregated into groups to examine and take remedial measures and the recommendations were implemented by the Board. Therefore, separate answer key was supplied to all the 6 candidates and benefit of grace marks were ordered in the answer key given to them. The petitioners had also been informed regarding the revised special answer key and their details had been supplied to them by M/s. Data Soft Computer Services Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi and their grievance had already been redressed. The bio -datas of the experts were attached as Annexure R -4. It was accordingly pleaded that no prejudice has been caused to the petitioners and, therefore, their grievance had already been redressed. The grace marks had been given wherever entitled to and once the experts had gone into the issue, it would not be prudent for this Court to re -examine the issue.;