A major mix‑up at Malkangiri College raised questions about examination management after a commerce student received an arts question paper during the ongoing college exams on Monday.
The incident occurred while students were writing their scheduled papers inside the examination hall.
According to reports, the student, enrolled in the commerce stream, was handed an arts question paper by the invigilator. He read the paper for a few minutes before realising it was not meant for his subject. The student immediately informed the officials present in the hall about the error.
College authorities quickly verified the mistake and replaced the paper with the correct one. The student was granted additional time to complete his exam. Officials assured that the error was unintentional and resulted from confusion during the distribution of question papers.
Witnesses said the incident caused brief tension among students, who feared similar mistakes could affect their performance. Teachers later reviewed the distribution process to ensure that no other student received the wrong paper.
Education activists criticised the lapse, calling it a reflection of poor supervision and lack of accountability. They urged the college administration to implement stricter checks to prevent such errors in future examinations.
The college principal confirmed that an internal inquiry will be conducted to identify the staff responsible for the mix‑up. Authorities emphasised that corrective measures will be taken to maintain examination integrity.
