Patna: The Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) 2026 Paper 2 was cancelled at two examination centres in Vaishali district on Saturday after candidates were left waiting for more than one-and-a-half hours beyond the scheduled start time due to the delayed arrival of question papers.The examination at St John’s Academy was scheduled to begin at 9.30am, but the papers reached the centre only around 11am, triggering widespread anger among candidates. Several aspirants protested inside the premises, blaming the education department and the district administration for alleged lapses in ensuring timely delivery of examination materials.
As tempers flared, candidates walked out of the examination hall and staged demonstrations outside the centre, leading to a brief spell of chaos. Police were called in to manage the situation, and officers, including Sadar SDPO Gopal Mandal, reached the spot to pacify the agitating candidates and restore order.According to candidates, the prolonged delay caused severe disruption and distress, with many saying their hopes of appearing for the crucial eligibility test were dashed amid the confusion and uncertainty at the centre.Vaishali district magistrate Varsha Singh confirmed that similar complaints were received from two centres in the district — St John’s Academy and Lakshya International Academy in Mahua. She said the question papers, which were dispatched from Patna by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on the same day, arrived nearly an hour late.“I have spoken to the officials of CBSE in Delhi,” Singh said. “They have confirmed that the examination held today at these two centres is cancelled. A new date will be announced for the affected candidates,” he added.The CBSE subsequently confirmed the cancellation of CTET Paper 2 at the two centres in Vaishali (Hajipur), citing “unavoidable circumstances”. Out of 1,803 examination centres across the country, the test was conducted successfully at 1,801 locations.The board assured that a re-examination for candidates affected by the cancellation would be conducted within the next 15 days.The district magistrate said strict instructions have been issued to the local examination coordinator to ensure that such lapses do not recur during the remaining examination schedule, including the next day’s session.
