GG News Bureau
Mumbai, 12th Feb. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced that examination centres found involved in mass copying during the Class 10 and 12 board exams will be permanently barred. The decision was made during a state cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
The announcement comes after 42 cases of cheating were reported on the first day of the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams, according to the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE).
To curb malpractices, Fadnavis directed officials to monitor sensitive examination centres using drones and video cameras. He also ordered the immediate dismissal of school employees or teachers found aiding in cheating.
The Chief Minister held discussions with district collectors and police officials to review exam security measures. He instructed district collectors to form special squads that would arrive at examination centres an hour before the exam and stay until answer sheets are secured. In urban areas, the municipal commissioner and police commissioner will be responsible for ensuring fair examinations.
Fadnavis further mandated that district authorities visit sensitive centres on the days of key subject exams, including English, Mathematics, and Science. Strict restrictions have also been imposed, preventing unauthorized persons from entering within 100 meters of exam centres.
On the first day of exams, more than 15 lakh students appeared for the English paper across 3,373 centres in Maharashtra. Of the 42 reported cheating cases, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar recorded the highest (26), followed by Pune (8), Nashik (3), Amravati (2), Nagpur (2), and Latur (1). Mumbai, Konkan, and Kolhapur reported no instances of malpractice.
Meanwhile, an incident of student distress was reported from a Pune examination centre, where a candidate attempted to jump from the second floor. The student sustained minor injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment.
The Maharashtra government has urged strict action to ensure a copy-free examination process, emphasizing the role of flying squads in maintaining integrity in board exams.
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