CBSE paper leak: Delhi police cracks case, 3 arrested in Himachal; updates

CBSE paper leak: The HRD Ministry has warned students and parents against 'fake leak mafias'

Delhi Police Crime Branch on Saturday cracked the case related to the leak of CBSE Class 12 (Economics) paper after it arrested three people from Himachal Pradesh. Centre superintendent Rakesh, Clerk Amit and peon Ashok of DAV School in Himachal Pradesh's Una district were arrested by the Crime Branch, a senior Delhi Police officer said. The three accused were brought to the national capital from Una and after questioning they were arrested, the officer said. A hand written copy of the economics paper was leaked through Whatsapp, a day before the examination on March 26. On March 30, the CBSE announced that it would re-conduct the class 12 economics exam throughout the country on April 25.

1. HRD warns students against 'fake leak mafias': The HRD Ministry has warned students and parents against "fake leak mafias", saying a purportedly leaked political science paper is doing rounds on social media. Examination for the board's Class 12 Political Science paper was held today.

"Fake leak mafias are at it again. Students and parents are advised not to fall prey to such mischiefs. The political science paper purported to have been leaked is fake. Similar attempts were made in the past to disrupt smooth conduct of CBSE exams," HRD's School Education Secretary Anil Swarup said.

2. Three staff members of school in Himachal Pradesh held: The three accused were brought to the national capital from Una and after questioning they were arrested, the officer said. A hand written copy of the economics paper was leaked through Whatsapp, a day before the examination on March 26.

3. CBSE paper leak: 'It happened either in board's custody or at the banks: The probe into the leak of CBSE class 10 maths and class 12 economics question papers has led the police to believe that the leak happened between the time the papers were in custody of board officials and when those were kept in banks, a senior official said.

With the arrest of three men, including two teachers of a private school in Bawana, police claimed to have busted a module in which the teachers had shared WhatsApp images of the economics paper one-and-a-half hours prior to the exam.

However, when it comes to the trail of handwritten papers that were circulated a day or two before the exam, police are sure that the leak happened either at the board level or the time when they are kept in the banks, the police officer privy to the probe said.

Since it is suspected that the leak might have happened from outer Delhi or Haryana, police have started scanning CCTV footages from the banks in certain areas to see whether there was some suspicious activity around the time the papers were kept there.

4. SC dismisses petitions pleas related to CBSE Class 12 economics paper: The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday dismissed all petitions related to the CBSE's question paper leaks, saying it won't interfere with any of the Board's decision on a re-exam. The apex court also turned down a plea for a CBI inquiry into the leaks of the Class 10 Mathematics paper and the Class 12 Economics paper. It dismissed a batch of petitions filed by students and parents.

5. HRD forms panel to examine CBSE's exam conduct process: The HRD Ministry has set up a "high-powered committee" to examine the process by which the CBSE conducts examinations, following the alleged leak of the Class 10 mathematics and the Class 12 economics papers.

The panel, headed by former HRD secretary V S Oberoi, will also suggest measures to make the process "secure and foolproof through the use of technology" and submit a report by May 31 to the ministry.

"The government had yesterday constituted a high-powered committee, comprising experts, under the chairmanship of V S Oberoi, ex-Secretary, MHRD, to examine the process of conduct of CBSE exams and suggest measures to make it secure and foolproof through the use of technology," the HRD's School Education Secretary, Anil Swarup, said.

6. No re-test for CBSE Class 10 students anywhere in India: The government on Tuesday said no re-examination of the Class 10 maths paper will be conducted anywhere in the country, bringing major relief to nearly two lakh CBSE Class 10 students in Delhi, NCR and Haryana. The decision was taken in the interest of Class 10 students who had already written their exams on March 28 but were told to sit again after it was learnt that the maths question paper had been leaked.

"Consequent to the preliminary evaluation of the impact of reportedly leaked CBSE Class 10 maths paper and keeping in mind the paramount interest of students, the CBSE has decided not to conduct re-examination even in Delhi, NCR (National Capital Region) and Haryana," said Human Resource Development Ministry Secretary Anil Swarup. Swarup had earlier announced that the Central Board of Secondary Examination (CBSE) may re-conduct the maths examination possibly in July for Delhi, its suburbs in NCR and Haryana. The decision has brought a major relief to over 16 lakh Class 10 students, including nearly two lakh from Delhi, NCR and Haryana.

7. CBSE Class 12 economics exams to be reconducted

CBSE Class 12 economics exams will be re-conducted in the wake of question papers being leaked.

For Class 12 economics, the exam will be held across the country on April 25 to avert any likely "reservations against this batch of students" which may affect the outlook of learning institutions here and abroad, CBSE board said.

8. CBSE papers might have been leaked from Haryana:
 

Delhi Police are suspecting that the CBSE question papers might have been leaked from Haryana, a senior official privy to the probe said on Monday.

The police were investigating whether some schools in Sonepat, Jhajjar and Bahadurgarh were also involved in the leak of Class 10 mathematics paper and Class 12 economics paper of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), he said.

"We are probing that angle. It is suspected that some schools and even some CBSE official might be involved in the matter. But we cannot say anything with surety at the moment," the official said.

10. Leaked Hindi, Political Science paper fake: The Class 12 Hindi (Elective) and Political Science papers being circulated on the social media were fake or previous year question paper, the CBSE said. Days after Economics and Maths paper leaks rocked the board examination, a whistleblower has come forward with the claim that Political Science paper was also made public.

What Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on CBSE Paper leak

Prime Minister Narendra Modi who conducted an interactive session, "Pariksha Par Charcha" with the "exam warriors" before the Board examinations, expressed his displeasure over the CBSE paper leak. He dialed the HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar to express unhappiness and demanded a strict action against the perpetrators.