UP board exams: Mobile phone replaces outdated chits as cheating tool

Agra: Technology has replaced the old paper chits as a mode of cheating in the Uttar Pradesh board exams. Flying squads are seizing a large number of mobile phones from the students of class 10th and 12th, who are giving the board exams.

The UP Board may have failed in using technology to check cheating, but mafias are utilizing it for the purpose. WhatsApp is their new weapon. A flying squad, headed by Dharmendra Sharma, the principal of a government inter college, has seized over 24 mobile phones in last two exams. Other administrative officials on exam duty have also found several phones in the examination centres.

According to sources, as soon as the exam starts, the question paper leaks out of the centre through the mobile phones. Within no time answers are send inside the examination centre.

According to RP Sharma, deputy director secondary education Agra, "Cases of students and invigilators carrying mobile phones in examination have surfaced. Such cases are on surge which is a serious issue. Mobile phone is prohibited inside examination centre. Such cases and centres will be investigated. Centre superintendents are asked to make sure that no one carries mobile phone during the exam. In case if there is any external pressure, centre superintendent should contact department officials. This particular method of cheating will be stopped."

According to the sources, student or invigilator sends the question paper out of the examination centre using WhatAapp. Teams of two to three persons outside the centre quickly find answers to the questions from guides. Then images are captured and send back by the mobile application. "Mobile phone is saving a lot of time for cheating mafias," one of them said.