The Odisha government on December 5 cancelled the Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery (ANM) examination after allegations surfaced that the question paper had leaked hours before the scheduled test.

The claim was brought to the floor of the Assembly by Congress MLA C S Raazen Ekka, who raised the issue through a point of order during a debate on unemployment. Ekka told the House that the paper was allegedly circulated around 11 am, nearly three hours before the scheduled 2 pm written examination.

According to the Congress legislator, the leak was first reported from Malkangiri and Bolangir districts, where second-year trainees were scheduled to appear for the test. The allegation quickly sparked protests, with candidates and parents demanding strict accountability and action against those responsible.

“This is a serious breach of trust and fairness. Students prepare for months, and such leaks destroy their future and confidence,” Ekka said in the Assembly.

In response to the uproar, the state’s Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET), Prof. Santosh Mishra, confirmed to news agency PTI that the examination had been cancelled.

Authorities are yet to announce a rescheduled date or details of any inquiry, but pressure is mounting as opposition parties and affected students call for transparency, punitive action, and reforms to prevent future breaches in the examination system.