Jharkhand’s matriculation examination has been marred by a paper leak, prompting Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag Gupta to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT). The Crime Investigation Department (CID) may also be brought in to assist.
Investigators have traced the leak to Koderma, with several digital devices seized for forensic examination. Multiple arrests have been made, and authorities are interrogating suspects in custody. The DGP has warned that individuals spreading old question papers to mislead students will face strict legal action, including imprisonment.
The Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) has submitted a detailed report to the Education Department, outlining the sequence of events, steps taken, and ongoing district-level investigations. Meanwhile, a Sanskrit question paper that went viral on social media was confirmed to be fake, along with a fabricated notice falsely claiming the exam’s cancellation.
JAC Chairman Dr Natwa Hansda has formally addressed the misinformation.
The leak has been officially confirmed for the Science and Hindi examinations scheduled for February 20 and 18, respectively. Following an emergency meeting, JAC cancelled both the exams. Reports indicate that the question papers were circulating on WhatsApp two days before the exams, and during the tests, the leaked papers matched the actual ones. Students have alleged that the papers were being sold for Rs 350.
Initial leads suggest the leak originated in Giridih and Koderma, where a WhatsApp group circulated a QR code with a message offering matriculation and intermediate exam papers for Rs 350. A PDF version of the Science paper was later shared, quickly spreading across the state. Acting swiftly, authorities detained four individuals from Giridih, including two teachers and as many students. Among them is Mohan Kumar Verma, a para-teacher at the Upgraded Middle School, Hadodih, who also teaches at a coaching centre, and Tinku Nigam, a private school teacher. Their mobile phones have been seized for forensic analysis.
With the SIT and CID intensifying their probe, authorities expect a breakthrough soon, aiming to dismantle the network behind the paper leak.