The Assam government on Monday said the general science question paper of the Class 10 state board exam was leaked and the test has been cancelled.

A police case was filed and the CID has been ordered to investigate the matter, Education Minister Ranoj Pegu told reporters here.

"Last night, the Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA) got some clue that today's paper (general science) has been leaked. Accordingly, the exam was cancelled," he said.

A detailed probe by Assam Police as well as SEBA will reveal the source of the leak and the culprits behind it, Pegu said.

"There is no question of involvement of teachers. The papers are kept at police stations and taken to examination centres only on the morning of the test day... Whosoever is behind this, no one will be spared. We will punish the guilty," the minister asserted.

Later, Pegu posted a SEBA notification on Twitter and said the new date of the general science examination will be March 30.

He also appealed to the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) candidates not to panic or feel disheartened over the cancellation of the test.

Asked if the question paper leak was because of SEBA’s inefficiency, he said: "There was no inefficiency. This does not happen every year.” SEBA Controller of Examination N J Sarmah, in a release, earlier said that a hand-written model question paper of general science was available with some candidates, which got circulated on social media.

"We have a belief that such news may create a confusion in the minds of the candidates and in view of this, the examination of General Science (C3) subject... is hereby cancelled," it said.

BJP MLA Prasanta Phukan said the incident of question paper leak should not have happened and the party is concerned over the development.

"This is related to the future of our children. I am personally very hurt. I will speak to government officials so that the probe is conducted expeditiously," he said.

Meanwhile, the opposition demanded the resignation of Pegu over the incident.

"This is not the first such instance. In Assam, almost all question papers are leaked. This is how the BJP wants to feature the state among the top five in India," Congress working president Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha told PTI.

The Assam government is not serious about the future of the students, as around four lakh children are in a state of shock after the examination was cancelled, he said.

"Despite such a big incident, the minister concerned is making irresponsible statements. It appears some government officials are involved and the minister is trying to save them. We demand his resignation,” Purkayastha said.

CPI(M) MLA Manoranjan Talukdar said the episode reflects the “total failure” of the education department as well as the state government.

"The education minister is responsible for the fiasco and he should resign," Talukdar said.

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