RGPV B.Tech exam cancelled after question paper theft in Bhopal
Synopsis
Nine sealed B.Tech question paper envelopes vanished from a locked building with no CCTV inside the strongroom — forcing RGPV to cancel an exam hours before it was set to begin, stranding 200 students and exposing a glaring security failure at Madhya Pradesh's top technical university.
Key Takeaways
RGPV cancelled a B.Tech fourth-semester exam on 4 July 2025 after 9 sealed question paper envelopes were stolen from the UTD building in Bhopal .
Around 200 students were stranded when the exam, scheduled for 11 am , was abruptly postponed.
Alok Sharma issued a show-cause notice to Controller of Examinations Dr.
Archana Tiwari , requiring a reply within five days .
Gandhinagar police registered an FIR against unknown persons under Sections 331(4) and 305(A) of the BNS .
Investigators found no CCTV cameras inside the strongroom and a broken bathroom window that may have been used for entry.
A fresh exam date will be announced after the inquiry and revised security arrangements are in place.
Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya (RGPV), Madhya Pradesh's premier technical university, was forced to cancel a B.Tech fourth-semester examination at the last minute on Friday, 4 July, after nine sealed question paper envelopes went missing from its University Teaching Department (UTD) building in Bhopal. Around 200 students were left stranded, and the incident has triggered a police investigation alongside an internal inquiry.
How the Theft Unfolded
The examination was scheduled to begin at 11 am, but university authorities discovered the missing papers before the exam could commence. According to the complaint lodged by Security Officer Dr. Bhupendra Singh, unidentified persons allegedly stole nine sealed envelopes containing the question papers from the UTD building. Preliminary findings pointed to significant security lapses — while the main entrance of the School of Biotechnology building, where the confidential papers were stored, was found locked, the cupboard housing the question papers had been opened. Investigators also found a broken bathroom window, raising suspicion that it may have been used to gain unauthorised entry.
No CCTV Inside the Strongroom
Compounding the security failure, the university had no CCTV cameras installed inside the strongroom where the examination papers were kept, according to reports. The absence of surveillance inside a facility storing confidential academic material has drawn sharp criticism and is expected to form a central focus of the ongoing inquiry.
University's Response
Vice-Chancellor Dr. Alok Sharma took immediate cognisance of the incident. He issued a show-cause notice to Controller of Examinations Dr. Archana Tiwari, directing her to submit a reply within five days. He also constituted an enquiry committee to investigate the breach and instructed the university's security wing to lodge a police complaint. 'A notice has been issued to the Controller of Examinations regarding the paper theft case. An enquiry committee has been constituted. The police have also registered an FIR and started an investigation,' Dr. Sharma said.
FIR Registered, Police Probe Underway
Gandhinagar police registered an FIR against unknown persons under Sections 331(4) and 305(A) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The investigation is currently underway. Students, meanwhile, gathered outside the Vice-Chancellor's office demanding an explanation over both the cancellation and the security breach that precipitated it.
What Happens Next
Established in 1998, RGPV is the affiliating university for technical education in Madhya Pradesh, with hundreds of engineering, pharmacy, architecture, and management colleges under its jurisdiction. The university is expected to announce a fresh examination date once the inquiry is complete and alternative security arrangements are in place. The incident has renewed questions over the handling of confidential examination material at one of the state's most consequential higher education institutions.
Point of View
A cupboard that could be opened without triggering an alert, and a broken window that went unnoticed: each failure compounds the last. The show-cause notice to the Controller of Examinations is a necessary first step, but accountability must travel further up the chain. University leadership sets the security budget and the compliance culture. Until examination infrastructure receives the same institutional attention as enrolment numbers and ranking metrics, paper theft will remain a recurring crisis rather than a preventable one.
NationPress
4 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the RGPV B.Tech exam cancelled on 4 July?
The exam was cancelled after nine sealed envelopes containing B.Tech fourth-semester question papers were allegedly stolen from the University Teaching Department building at RGPV in Bhopal. University authorities discovered the theft before the scheduled 11 am start, forcing a last-minute postponement that left around 200 students stranded.
What action has RGPV taken after the question paper theft?
Vice-Chancellor Dr. Alok Sharma issued a show-cause notice to Controller of Examinations Dr. Archana Tiwari, asking for a reply within five days, and constituted an enquiry committee. He also directed the university's security wing to file a police complaint, which led to an FIR being registered.
Has a police case been filed in the RGPV paper theft?
Yes. Gandhinagar police registered an FIR against unknown persons under Sections 331(4) and 305(A) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The investigation is ongoing, with preliminary findings pointing to a broken bathroom window as a possible entry point.
What security lapses were found at RGPV's examination strongroom?
Investigators found that no CCTV cameras were installed inside the strongroom where the question papers were kept. The main entrance was locked, but the cupboard containing the papers had been opened, and a broken bathroom window suggested a possible route of unauthorised entry.
When will the cancelled RGPV B.Tech exam be rescheduled?
RGPV has not yet announced a new date. The university is expected to schedule a fresh examination after the internal inquiry is completed and alternative security arrangements are put in place.
