Social media tools such as WhatsApp and Facebook, and email were extensively used to share the photo of the leaked II pre-university chemistry question paper the night before the March 21 examination, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe has revealed. The exam was subsequently cancelled.
The photo of the leaked paper was shared between the yet to be identified accused and beneficiaries (students) across the State, sources said, and added that it was suspected to have originated from Malur, Kolar district. A large number of students received the paper through WhatsApp, MMS and also SMS, sources said.
CID officials, involving a team of cyber crime and technical experts, are now verifying the call detail record of the mobile phones of officials and those who may have been involved. They have asked people to share messages they may have received and asked them not to delete such messages. Students, parents, teachers, administrators of colleges and officials connected with the Department of Pre-University Education (DPUE) have been asked to share with the CID any information in full confidence.
Meanwhile, officials visited the DPUE and collected documents and questioned officials concerned about the procedure of question paper distribution and allotment.
Records to be checked
Meanwhile, the DPUE will check the veracity of records pertaining to the movement of chemistry question paper. While a preliminary internal probe has revealed that the seal on the question paper bundles in all the 968 centres — where the chemistry (new syllabus) exam was held — was intact, Ajay Seth, Principal Secretary, Department of Primary and Secondary Education, said the records would be re-checked.
“The records show that all the question paper bundles were opened only after obtaining signatures of students,” he said. Mr. Seth, however, said that if a person was involved in paper leak, there were chances that the records being fudged.
Admitting lapses in following the standard operating procedure (SOP), Mr. Seth said, “With technological advancements such as WhatsApp it is possible to beat the [examination] system. We need to be ahead of the technology curve and put systems in place to prevent this [paper leak].” There is a need to make the SOP stringent, he added.
Maths paper: Students told to specify questions that were ‘out-of-syllabus
With several II PU students saying that the mathematics paper was tough and allegedly had questions outside the syllabus, the Department of Primary and Secondary Education has urged students to send specific number of questions that they perceive were out-of-syllabus.
Ajay Seth, Principal Secretary of the department, said, “Although a group of subject experts have submitted a report that none of the questions was out-of-syllabus. The government is open to receiving feedback from students,” he said. Mr. Seth said that students could mail him at prsprimedu@ karnataka.gov.in
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