Panaji: The Goa University on Monday suspended an assistant professor and initiated an inquiry after he was accused of leaking the question paper of the Masters in physics programme to a female student, an official said.

Goa University vice-chancellor Harilal B Menon suspended assistant professor Dr Pranav P Naik from the School of Physical and Applied Sciences until further orders, pending inquiry, he said.

The official said Dr Naik is facing allegations of disclosing the question paper to a female student. Vice-chancellor Menon on Monday said that he had already constituted the fact-finding committee, which would submit a report within 48 hours.

Police Complaints Registered

Two police complaints were lodged against the assistant professor, accusing him of leaking the question paper.

While the first complaint was lodged on Sunday by activist Kashinath Shetye and other like-minded citizens, the Congress-affiliated National Students Union of India (NSUI) lodged a complaint on Monday at Agassaim police station, which covers the university campus.

The complainants have accused the assistant professor of "theft of the question paper to cheat other students and disclosed the same to his girlfriend for getting highest marks in convince and conspiracy with officials of Goa University who helped him to go scot-free".

NSUI Leader Naushad Choudhary's Statement

Talking to reporters, NSUI leader Naushad Choudhary said the theft of the question paper amounted to injustice to several other students who had appeared for the examination. "A girl student, who is average, has topped in the examination, while those who had studied by burning the midnight oil had to suffer," he claimed.

The issue snowballed after activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Monday protested outside the chamber of the vice-chancellor, questioning his silence on the issue.

The activists sought to know why the University did not take any action despite knowing that the paper had been leaked.

"The paper should have been reset, and immediate action should have been taken against the professor. It is injustice towards students who have appeared for the examination," an ABVP leader said.

The vice-chancellor assured the activists that he has already constituted the fact-finding committee, which will submit its report within 48 hours.

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