Pune: The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education has clarified that there has been no leak of the Class 10 Mathematics or Science question papers. Officials said a Telegram group was instead used to cheat students by falsely promising access to exam papers in exchange for money.
Board secretary Dr Deepak Mali said a message was circulated on a Telegram group on 9th March at 5.47 pm claiming that the Science Part 1 and Part 2 papers were available. Following complaints, the Pune Divisional Board lodged a complaint at the Shivajinagar Police Station.
To verify the claims, board officials and police conducted a sting operation on 10th March. They contacted the group administrator and asked for the Science Part 1 paper scheduled for 11th March. The officials paid Rs 600 as demanded by the administrator.
However, the group failed to provide the science question paper before the exam began. Officials also found that the Mathematics Part 2 paper was uploaded to the group only after the official exam timing had ended.
Dr Mali said the investigation showed that the individuals behind the Telegram group were attempting to cheat students by promising leaked papers and collecting small payments from them.
He added that students were being asked through personal messages to pay money to access the papers, but no question papers were actually shared before the examinations started.
“There is no truth in the rumours of a paper leak,” Mali said, adding that the board has not received any confirmed complaint of question papers being circulated before the exams.
Police are now trying to trace the people operating the fraudulent Telegram group.
