Mumbai: On Friday, two pages of the Mathematics paper of the Class 12 Board exam were reportedly leaked on social media in Buldhana district half an hour before the test commenced.
Taking cognizance of the alleged leak in Sindkhed Raja taluka of the district, the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) as well as Buldhana Police have initiated a probe. An First Information Report (FIR) of the incident has been registered by the police against unkown persons under sections 5 and 6 of the Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices at University, Board and Other Specified Examinations Act, 1982
However, the board insists that the purported leak wasn't widespread and the students had entered their exam centres for the Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC) paper before the images were out on social media. The test began at 11 am.
"We have received reports of two pages of the paper being leaked at a centre in Sindkhed Raja. It's said that the leaked images got viral at 10:30 am, but by that time students are supposed to be inside the exam hall. We don't allow students to enter the halls after 10:30 am. It's being investigated as to who leaked the paper and how viral the images were. Once the culprit is caught, we will definitely take action against them," said MSBSHSE Secretary Anuradha Oak.
The police were made aware of the alleged incident by Rangnath Gawde, Block Education Officer, Panchayat Samiti, Sindkhed Raja, who claimed that the paper was leaked at Rajegaon village. According to the FIR, the 'leak' occurred between 10:30 and 11 am.
The alleged incident occurred despite the stringent measures put in place by the state government to curb cheating and other malpractices during the first comprehensive board exams after the Covid-19 pandemic that started on February 21. While last year, the candidates took the test at their own schools, this time they were allotted different exam centres, as is the norm.
The police have also begun probing the alleged incident. "We have noted a complaint against unknown persons. But a First Information Report (FIR) is yet to be registered," said Keshav Wagh, Police Inspector at Sindkhed Raja Police Station.
Oak said that the board is yet to receive the 'leaked' image. "It doesn't appear that the images spread to many students. Besides Sindkhed Raja, we didn't receive such complaints from anywhere else," she said.
Earlier this week, The Pune Zilla Parishad flying squad detected a case of mass copying at Jawahar Vidyalaya and junior college in Kedgaon, Daund. an FIR was against nine teachers at a Pune school who allegedly aided and abetted mass cheating in the physics exam.
Reports of paper leak reach Maha Assembly
Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar raised the alleged malpractice at Sindhkhedraja in the district and asked the government to act on it. Congress MLA and former education minister Varsha Gaikwad wondered how the question paper could "go out 30 minutes before the start of the exam".
"It has been decided that question papers won't be distributed 10 minutes before the start of the exam. Then how is it that the paper was leaked half an hour earlier," she asked.
Revenue Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said students will be at a loss over such incidents. "Action needs to be taken and responsibility must be fixed. The issue will be discussed with the education minister and appropriate action will be taken," he said.
(With inputs from PTI)
