PATNA: The intermediate examinations conducted by Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) across the state turned controversial on the first day on Tuesday as the biology question papers went viral on the social media allegedly after a leak when the examinees were still writing the answers at the centres.
Images of the question papers circulating on WhatsApp were the same as those given to the examinees, found officials in Nawada district who matched the two after the examination was over. But BSEB, which is reeling under the infamy caused by last year’s toppers’ scam in intermediate examinations and the mass cheating in previous years, denied that there was any leak.
“News came from Nawada after 12:15 PM that the biology question papers had been leaked on the social media. While it is true that the question papers were viral on the social media, it is not a leak as it did not impact the examination, which had started at 9:45 AM and ended at 1 PM,” said BSEB chairperson Anand Kishore.
Claiming that the examinations remained “clean and free from malpractice” on the first day, he added: “A detailed probe has been ordered to ascertain how the question papers emerged on the social media. It seems to be the handiwork of some mischievous elements at some examination centres, which usually get five to ten per cent extra question papers for exigency”.
However, sources said the question papers were available on the social media much earlier than 12:15 PM. Nawada district magistrate Kaushal Kumar had told reporters that he learnt of the rumours about a leak at about 11:55 AM when he was leaving an examination centre after an inspection.
Bihar education minister Krishna Nandan Prasad Verma said: “The examination’s sanctity was not harmed. If the probe finds foul play by anyone, suiable action would be taken against them”.