Students use WhatsApp means in exam cheating

60 held for using unfair means; mobile phones taken to examination halls flouting JAC guidelines

At least 60 students were caught using unfair means, including mobile phones, during the Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) intermediate and matriculation examinations in the state, JAC chairman Arvind Singh said on Sunday.

The examinations began on February 17 for Class 10 and Class 12 students at 932 centres for matric exams and 458 for intermediate, JAC sources said.

Many of those caught and expelled till now carried mobile phones and used Whatsapp messenger in the examination hall against the council norms.

Singh said, “Mobile phones are not allowed inside the exam room and any child using mobile for unfair means will face action. We have asked teachers to ensure that no child enters the rooms with mobile.”

On Saturday, an intermediate student at the Nirmala College centre was expelled after being caught for his misconduct. He was using mobile phone to cheat in the examination. In another such case, a boy was handed over to the authorities at Marwari School for allegedly copying answers using chits.

Close to 4.75 lakh students are appearing in the matriculation examination while 3.21 lakh are taking the intermediate exams in the state this year. A similar case of copying answers from mobiles was reported in Godda district where the exam centre of the student was changed after being caught.

Secretary of school education and literacy department Aradhna Patnaik said that the government had put in place a strict system to check copying during the examination.

“We have issued strict guidelines to the DCs and SPs of all the districts to ensure proper security and checking during exams. The district administration is the responsible authority for ensuring a smooth conduct of examinations,” said Patnaik. Each centre has a control room where examination authorities remain present and take action against examination rule violators at specific inputs.