The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has initiated an investigation following serious complaints that question papers for its ongoing June-July 2026 term-end examinations were allegedly being sold for ₹199 per subject on the messaging platform Telegram.
The university has directed its regional centres to significantly enhance examination security measures in response to these allegations, which surfaced amidst heightened scrutiny of exam integrity following the NEET-UG 2026 controversy.
IGNOU Responds to Allegations
According to a communication issued on June 4 to regional directors by IGNOU's student evaluation division, learners reported individuals claiming to possess question papers and offering them for online sale. This communication included screenshots purporting to show chats where these papers were being shared and sold.
An email dated June 3 from IGNOU learners specifically highlighted concerns about a Telegram channel where certain individuals were allegedly charging money for question papers, including those for subjects like macroeconomics analysis. The email cautioned recipients against further sharing these papers and even claimed access to question papers up to two hours before the exam, along with potential solutions.
IGNOU promptly referred the complaints to the police for necessary action. However, the university has maintained that, as of now, no concrete evidence of any actual question paper leakage has been received from any regional centre, examination centre, or other reliable sources. Consequently, IGNOU has not cancelled any examinations and stated that forming an inquiry committee based solely on current evidence is not warranted.
Enhanced Security Measures Implemented
In light of the allegations, faculty members and examination centre superintendents have been instructed to implement stringent security protocols. These measures include:
- Deploying additional observers to monitor examination proceedings.
- Strictly restricting the use of mobile phones by examination staff.
- Preventing any unauthorised access to examination areas.
- Ensuring that confidential question papers remain in the personal custody of centre superintendents at all times.
Separate Incident: Wrong Question Paper
Separately, on June 9, IGNOU faced another operational challenge when an incorrect question paper was initially sent to approximately 200 centres for a master's-level examination scheduled for the 10 AM session. The university quickly issued a directive instructing centres not to use the erroneous paper and instead download the correct version from its official portal.
IGNOU clarified that while some centres did receive the incorrect paper, it was discarded and replaced with the correct one before the examination commenced, ensuring no centre conducted the exam with the wrong set of questions. The June-July examinations are scheduled to run daily in two sessions from June 1 to July 21.