In a major breakthrough in the Odisha Teacher Eligibility Test (OTET) 2025 paper leak, the School and Mass Education Department has suspended Prashant Khamari, a government school headmaster, following his arrest by the Crime Branch.
Khamari, who served as the headmaster of an upper primary school in Vejipada (Sadar block), is accused of being a key player in the exam leak racket that has shaken Odisha’s teacher recruitment system. His arrest follows that of seven others, including Nihar Ranjan Mohanty, Vice President of the Board of Secondary Education (BSE), Odisha.
According to sources in the Crime Branch, all eight arrested individuals will be taken into custody for further interrogation, as investigators attempt to expose the broader conspiracy, believed to involve internal and external collusion.
Authorities believe the leak was orchestrated by a well-organised network with insiders at the BSE and external facilitators, compromising the integrity of the examination and sparking massive outrage among aspirants across the state.
The OTET exam—critical for government school teacher recruitment—was cancelled after the leak surfaced, raising urgent concerns about the transparency and security of such high-stakes examinations.
The Odisha government has responded by initiating disciplinary action, starting with Khamari’s suspension, and promising systemic reforms. Meanwhile, the Crime Branch continues to investigate, and more arrests are expected in the coming days.
The scandal has prompted calls for digital monitoring, stricter question paper protocols, and revamped exam safeguards to prevent future breaches.
