Shunglu Committee submits report

One-man committee probed into the CAT paper leak

The one-man Shunglu Committee, probing into the Common Admission Test (CAT) paper leak, has finally submitted the report to the Ministry of Human Resources Development, ten days ago, said the Union HRD minister, Arjun Singh today.

Former Comptroller and Auditor General, V K Shunglu, was appointed in last November by the then HRD Minister, Murli Manohar Joshi.

Singh, however, denied to divulge any content of the report, which, according to well-placed sources in the ministry, is at present being studied by the senior officials of MHRD.

It is also learnt that the ministry may also and over the report to directors of the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) as the report has indicated that IIMs should have been more cautious to avoid leakage of the paper.

Minister told Business Standard, "I have received the Shunglu Committee report on CAT about 10 days ago and the ministry is examining the report. The Report has several aspects and the government will take decisions in the best interest of the country."

Asked when or whether the report will ever be made public and what major recommendations has the Shunglu Committee made, Singh said that he has still not read the report and that his ministry is examining it. "The department currently is examining the report. I have not read it as yet," Singh said.

CBI, which has been conducting an independent investigation has not yet finalised its chargesheet despite making several arrests. Sources close to the agency said that the investigation may take at least another two months.

A source close to the ministry said, "The report prepared by Shunglu has the procedure of finalising CAT papers and also suggested that the IIMs, mainly the major three, IIM-A, IIM-B and IIM-C, should have taken some 'well-guarded steps' to ensure involvement of less number of people in the process of preparing the paper and sending it to printing press to avoid any leakage. It has also recommended certain changes in the existing process of handling CAT question papers up to the examination centres."

"While the committee could not find out much involvement of the IIMs in the leakage question paper, it has not give a clean chit to the institutes." The source also said that the ministry will take a final decision only after taking the IIMs into confidence.

Bakul Dholakia, director of IIM-A was not available for comments. Last year, IIM-A had the responsibility to co-ordinate the CAT examination.

CAT question papers were leaked on November 23, 2003 and the examination was canceled promptly after MHRD intervened and asked IIMs to reschedule the examinations. The examination was later rescheduled on February 15.

While the Ministry handed over the case to CBI, it also almost simultaneously formed the one-man committee to probe.