CBSE probe on to identify students benefited by paper leaks

Though there will be no re-test for the mathematics paper of Class X board examination, the central board of secondary education's (CBSE) probe is on to identify the students who could have benefited by the paper leak.

Students who are found to have been benefited by the leaked economics paper will not be spared.

"Police investigations are on. Action will be taken against the beneficiaries of the paper leaks as per examination bye-laws," a CBSE official told DH.

While Delhi police recently arrested two school teachers and a tutor on charges of leaking class XII economics paper, it has quizzed as many as 17 persons including several students in connection with the crime.

Jharkhand police, which arrested a total of 12 persons including nine Class X students in connection with the mathematics paper leak, detained two more class X students from the Supaul district of Bihar On Monday in connection with the case.

As per the CBSE examination bye-laws, students who are beneficiaries of paper leaks will be treated as those having indulged in unfair means to pass the board examination for which they can be penalised, an official said.

"A candidate found guilty of having used the leaked paper to pass the examination may be disqualified by the board from the examination in that year or may further be debarred from appearing at any examination of the Board for a period which may extend up to five years," the official said.

In serious cases, the rules also empowers CBSE to permanently debar such students from taking any examination of the Board in future.

"All cases of unfair means will be considered after the declaration of the results. All cases of unfair means will be reported to the results committee as per procedure. The board will take action against the students who were found to have been beneficiaries of the paper leaks on the recommendation of the results committee," the official added.

The CBSE rules stipulate for sharing the list of the students, who are "punished" for resorting to any unfair means in the board examinations, to all of its schools, State governments, all secondary school examination boards, universities and various public service commissions which holds recruitment tests for various positions in the governments.