Two people have been arrested on suspicion of leaking the question paper for the first semester of the Master of Business Studies (MBS) program under Tribhuvan University’s Faculty of Management.
The question paper for the postgraduate-level subject Organizational Behavior was leaked on social media just minutes after the examination began on July 24.
The secretariat of Education and Sports Minister Sasmit Pokharel said that the Cyber Bureau had taken two people into custody, including the person known as “Sulab Sir,” who allegedly circulated the question paper.
Minister Pokharel has discussed the matter with Inspector General of Police Dan Bahadur Karki. Police are preparing to make public details about those allegedly involved in the incident.
“Two people have been taken into custody. The minister and the IGP are currently discussing the matter. They will make the details of the incident public,” a member of the minister’s secretariat said.
Deputy Inspector General Abi Narayan Kafle, spokesperson for Nepal Police, said that detailed information would be provided shortly.
“I heard that the bureau is bringing them in. Official information will probably be released shortly,” he said.
The question paper was shared in a WhatsApp group named “MBS 1st Sem Section C” just five minutes after the examination began. The Facebook page “TU Students” had drawn Tribhuvan University’s attention to the alleged leak, saying the question paper had been circulated on social media within minutes of the exam starting. The page had also published screenshots of the same WhatsApp group.
“According to information received, the examination began at 12 noon. However, it has been alleged that the question paper was shared in various WhatsApp groups at around 12:05 p.m. Examinees and stakeholders say this incident has raised serious questions about the confidentiality, fairness, and credibility of the examination system,” the page said.
The screenshots made public show a person identified as Sulab Sir sending the question paper. After he sent the paper, a person named Keshav Bhatt wrote: “Sir, please send the solution as well.”
A few minutes later, Sulab appears to have sent another PDF file. It is not clear what the PDF contained.
Similarly, another member of the group, identified as Sujan Paudel, wrote that he would arrive late for the next Economics examination.
“Maybe I should arrive late for the Economics exam now, sir. Please upload the question paper like this,” he wrote.
The group appeared to have 1,023 members.
After the question paper was leaked, the Office of the Dean of Tribhuvan University’s Faculty of Management wrote to the Cyber Bureau.
Assistant Dean Bharat Rai officially wrote to the Cyber Bureau on Saturday, drawing attention to the matter and requesting an investigation.
“The Office of the Dean of the Faculty of Management has taken serious note of reports that the question paper for the MBS first-semester Organizational Behavior examination was shared in various WhatsApp groups,” the letter stated. “The names and phone numbers of several individuals, including ‘Sulab Sir’ (9812...), are also visible in the screenshots. I request your assistance in identifying the individuals, institutions and examination centers involved in this matter and taking the strongest possible legal action.”
The Examination Control Division also formed an inquiry committee on Sunday to investigate the incident.
The Examination Operations Committee decided to form a three-member inquiry committee under the coordination of Prof Dr Achyut Gyawali.
Associate Professor Dr Pushkar Raikhala, deputy director of the Monitoring Directorate, and Associate Professor Dr Mahesh Raj Ojha, a member of the Central Examination Operations Committee, have been appointed as members.
The committee has been tasked with investigating the incident, determining the facts, and submitting its report within seven working days.
