Exam centres with mass copying cases will be barred permanently, warns Maharashtra CM Fadnavis

The Maharashtra CM has directed the sacking of school employees or teachers if they were involved in facilitating copying.

The examination centres where mass copying for classes 10 and 12 board exams is reported will be barred permanently, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said. Forty two cases of copying were reported on the first day of the HSC examination for class 12 on Tuesday, according to the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE).

Fadnavis on Tuesday interacted with all district collectors and police officials and took stock of the preparation for exams. (HT Photo)

Fadnavis on Tuesday asked officials to monitor sensitive examination centres through drones and video cameras. He directed the sacking of school employees or teachers if they were involved in facilitating copying.

The decision was taken in the state cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Fadnavis also interacted with all district collectors and police officials and took stock of the preparation for exams.

The chief minister said district collectors should form special squads which should reach examination centres an hour before the exam starts and wait until the answer sheets are submitted to the custodian. It is the joint responsibility of the district collector, superintendent of police, and chief executive officer of the Zilla parishad to prevent copying in exams.

Similarly, in urban areas, it will be the responsibility of the municipal commissioner and police commissioner, he said. Fadnavis also directed district collectors, superintendents of police and chief executive officers of Zilla Parishads to visit sensitive examination centres on the days when English, Mathematics and Science papers are scheduled.

The Class 12 board exams commenced at 3,373 centres in the state. The exams will continue till March 18. Fadnavis said any unauthorised person should not be allowed in 100 metres from the examination centre.

Steps should be taken to ensure students do not carry any material that can lead to copying in exams, he said. It is also expected from the flying squad to effectively take steps to ensure copy-free examination, the CM said.

The State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education stated, "42 cases of copying were reported on the first day of HSC examination." More than 15 lakh students appeared for the first paper, English, at more than 3,000 exam centres in the state.

Out of 42 cases of copying (malpractices), 26 were reported from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, eight in Pune, three in Nashik, two each in Amravati and Nagpur and one in Latur.

Mumbai, Konkan, and Kolhapur registered zero cases of malpractice. Meanwhile, a student appearing for the exam at a centre in Pune's Narhe area tried to jump from the second floor. He suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital, officials said.