ITANAGAR, May 21: Arunachal Pradesh police have uncovered a sophisticated cheating racket during a national-level recruitment exam, exposing a well-coordinated operation with interstate links to Haryana.
The incident took place during the CBSE-conducted exam for non-teaching posts under the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), held at VKV Chimpu and Kingcup Public School in Itanagar. The posts included Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA) and Lab Attendant (LA).
Superintendent of Police Rohit Rajbir Singh revealed at a press briefing that the cheating was orchestrated by a group connected to Jind in Haryana. He also indicated the possibility of a question paper leak, suggesting a larger premeditated network operating across multiple states.
The cheating was exposed when police found miniature electronic devices, including 29 earpieces, concealed among candidates taking the test. The technological sophistication and scale of the setup, which relied on hidden communication tools, have raised serious concerns about exam security in the digital age.
SP Singh noted that the masterminds targeted remote examination centers and low-profile exams, where surveillance technologies like jammers are often absent. Similar suspicious activities have also been reported in Dimapur, Sikkim, and Dehradun, all of which are under investigation.
A total of 53 individuals have been booked under the newly introduced Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant sections of the Information Technology (IT) Act and the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
Authorities are coordinating with police teams in other states to trace the full extent of the cheating network. Investigations are also probing potential insider involvement and whether the leaked question paper was circulated in advance.
The incident has sparked widespread concern over the integrity of competitive examinations in India. Experts and education stakeholders are calling for stricter digital surveillance, better preventive measures, and more rigorous vetting of exam centers to prevent such breaches in the future.
