Maharagama, Sri Lanka – The Director of the Planning Division at the National Institute of Education (NIE) has been arrested in connection with the recent controversy surrounding the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination question paper leak. The arrest was made by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), according to Police Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa.
The investigation began after allegations surfaced that parts of the scholarship exam paper, which was held on September 15, had been leaked online. The Department of Examinations launched a probe, and preliminary findings were handed over to the CID for further investigation.
Due to the seriousness of the allegations, Thilaka Jayasundara, the Secretary of the Ministry of Education, announced a temporary suspension of the paper marking process for the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination. The decision on whether the exam will be re-conducted will depend on the results of the ongoing investigation by the CID and the Department of Examinations.
The controversy first came to light when Amit Jayasundara, Commissioner General of Examinations, revealed that an investigation had been initiated after reports suggested that three questions from the actual exam had appeared in a model paper posted online by a teacher from Alawwa. If the investigation confirms the leak, those specific questions will be excluded during the marking process.
The Grade 5 Scholarship Exam is a highly anticipated test in Sri Lanka, with this year’s exam involving 323,879 candidates across 2,849 centers nationwide.
The Ministry of Education has assured the public that it will make an informed decision once the investigations are complete, aiming to maintain fairness and integrity in the examination process.
