Seventeen teachers face charges after a drone camera exposed widespread cheating during the Maharashtra HSC Class 12 exams in Beed district. The incident occurred on Tuesday, the first day of examinations conducted by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education at Centre 224 in Chousala.
Drone Surveillance Exposes Cheating Ring
Authorities deployed drone-mounted cameras for surveillance. These cameras reportedly captured supervisors in 16 examination halls failing to prevent copying. Officials allege these supervisors also aided students in cheating during the exam.
The incident contradicts the administration’s stated goal of conducting a “copy-free” examination system. Beed Collector Vivek Johnson ordered immediate action following the discovery.
FIR Filed Against Educators
An First Information Report (FIR) was registered against 17 teachers at Neknoor police station on Wednesday night. The chief conductor of the exam center is among those booked. Charges were filed under the Maharashtra Universities, Boards and Other Specified Examinations (Prevention of Malpractices) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The Beed district is currently hosting HSC exams at 103 centers. A total of 45,247 students are appearing for these exams across the district.
Related Incidents Reported
This is not the only reported instance of cheating during the ongoing exams. In the neighboring Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, mass copying was allegedly discovered during the HSC English exam paper on Tuesday. An FIR was registered against 23 individuals, including invigilators, in that case.