Paper leak in Class XII exam detected
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 03 2025:
Days after HSLCE Social Science question paper was leaked and two teachers of a school were arrested, Physics question paper for the Class XII examination was leaked today sending shockwaves across the State.
While the question paper was leaked and found shared on WhatsApp groups nearly half an hour before the examination began, a student at Nambol Higher Secondary School examination centre was found in possession of a photostat copy containing serial-wise answers to the leaked questions, said Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) .
While the student body has called for a thorough investigation and stringent punishment of persons involved, the Controller of Examinations of Council of Higher Secondary Education Manipur (COHSEM), Oinam Joy said a complaint has been filed with the Cyber Crime Police.
The Class XII Higher Secondary Examinations (HSE) are being conducted by the COHSEM since February 17 .
"The Council takes the case very seriously and it has filed a complaint with the cyber crime police to investigate and identify the culprits responsible.
In the meantime, the Council will form an enquiry committee to investigate the case," said Oinam Joy, speaking to reporters at the COHSEM office in Imphal.
The Controller of Examinations said the Physics question paper was found leaked and shared on WhatsApp groups around 20 minutes before the examination began.
"Council had taken steps to conduct the examinations fairly and peacefully.
The incident is very unfortunate, and it will be investigated thoroughly," Joy said.
Joy, however, said that the Council has not yet decided if there will be a re-examination for Physics paper.
"According to rules, students have to be inside the examination centre campus 45 minutes before the examination begins.
The examination committee will meet and decide if there will be a re-examination of this particular paper," Joy said.
The examinations are being held peacefully in hill districts.
There have been no reports of any untoward incidents happening in the hills.
Nodal Officers are overseeing the conduct of the examinations in the hill districts, he added.
Meanwhile, briefing media persons about the leak, DESAM secretary general N Thoithoiba said the question paper for Physics was found leaked on a WhatsApp group "Class 12 COHSEM, 2025" at around 9.38 am.
The examination was to begin at 10 am.
Thoithoiba said the question paper shared on the particular WhatsApp group was however found marked "forwarded many times"-- revealing that the content had already been shared multiple times by many users, much before it was shared on the said group.
Further, DESAM members caught a student using unfair-means at Nambol Higher Secondary School examination centre today.
The student was found in possession of a micro size photostat copy containing serial-wise answers to the leaked questions, said the student leader.
The micro copy was a screenshot of answers shared on WhatsApp and had a time-stamp of 9.42 am.
This shows the question paper was leaked much before and there was ample time to prepare answers, Thoithoiba said.
"How was the student able to sneak in the piece of paper inside the examination centre ? While the leak is unacceptable and very unfortunate, teachers and invigilators should perform their duties strictly and not allow any student to sneak in items other than those which are allowed," Thoithoiba said.
"When and from where the paper was leaked must be investigated.
Individuals arrested in such cases must never be given bail," he said.
He also called on the BOSEM and COHSEM to take up appropriate actions to curb future leak, and appealed to students, parents, guardians and civil society organisations to make examinations free and fair.
Notably, HSCLE Social Science paper was leaked on February 25 and police had arrested Samadram Meghachandra a Social Science teacher and Yumnam Ranjit, Vice Principal of Little Star English School, Thoubal Haokha on March 2 .
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