Gujarat: Image of Class 10 Hindi paper on social media before exam ends

After being rocked by two exam paper leaks since January, the state education department is grappling with an alleged leak of the Class 10 Hindi exam question paper on social media, at least half an hour before the exam ended on Saturday.

Images of the question paper with handwritten answer next to them (MCQs and short answers) were posted on a WhatsApp group called 'Apna Adda'. The Hindi exam began at 10.30am and was to end at 1.30pm. During this time, students are not allowed to take the question paper outside the exam hall. However, the images of the question paper appeared at 12.30pm. Gujarat Higher Secondary and Secondary Education Board instituted an inquiry into the incident.

Sources in the education field said it is shocking that images of the question paper were already on social media when the examination was underway, especially when the board claims that they do not let students leave the examination hall before the exam ends even if they have finished writing the paper before time. They can leave early only on surrendering their question paper.

"We can't term this a 'paper leak.' Only if the paper is out before the examination begins can we call it a leak. Around 12.45pm, the images were posted on WhatsApp and went viral. We have initiated an inquiry and will get help from cybercrime police," A J Shah, chairman of GSHSEB said.

Saturday was the last Class 10 exam. Some 7.39 lakh students of Classes 10 and 12 took these board exams in the state.