CHENNAI: Investigating the leak of examination papers of Tamil Nadu Teachers Education University (TNTEU) in September last year, the CB-CID has alleged the involvement of a male principal and a female office assistant working in two different colleges in Thoothukudi, affiliated to the university.
Both were arrested by the agency’s organised crime unit earlier this month, sources said. The principal was designated by TNTEU as an invigilator for the examinations to the college where the office assistant was working.
Question papers of at least five subjects for the university examinations that were under way at that time were downloaded by the two and circulated between them besides sending it to at least one more person. Interestingly, the office assistant was also pursuing B.Ed in the institution where she worked.
The case was registered on September 9, 2024 by CB-CID based on a complaint filed by Dr P Ganesan, the University’s Controller of Examinations. The University had said that question papers were sent for the university exams from August 27 to September 6 to 195 colleges acting as exam centres, but papers were leaked and circulated before the official examination date.
CB-CID’s investigations show that the office assistant had downloaded the question paper for the subject ‘Creating an inclusive school’ on August 29, 2024 from the TNTEU’s website using the username and password of the college where she worked.
The paper was downloaded on her mobile phone with the assistance of the principal, who had come to her college for examination duty, sources said. She then allegedly sent this question paper to her friend, a second year B.Ed student through whatsapp before the exam.
CB-CID said that the woman also shared two more question papers with the principal and her friend. This was repeated on September 2, while the principal also later sent her some question papers for other subjects.
CB-CID secured a digital trail from the mobile phones of the accused which indicated that the exam papers had been shared through Whatsapp. The agency is investigating further to nail other accused and uncover the chain of circulation.