Himachal: 40 candidates held for cheating, keeping devices during recruitment exam

Several candidates, a majority of whom were from Haryana, were caught with bluetooth devices and tiny earpieces, while another person was arrested for taking the test for a candidate during the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) recruitment exam in Shimla on Sunday.

Over three dozen people have been taken into police custody for allegedly cheating during the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) recruitment exam held in Shimla, with several candidates caught with suspicious electronic devices, police said on Monday.

Himachal Pradesh Police said the candidates allegedly gave ₹4 lakh to ₹12 lakh to unknown handlers of the cheating to clear the recruitment exam and the involvement of a professional gang cannot be ruled out. (Representational photo)

A special investigation team (SIT) headed by an additional SP-rank officer has been constituted to probe the alleged cheating that happened on Sunday, they said.

Preliminary investigations suggested the candidates allegedly gave ₹4 lakh to ₹12 lakh to unknown handlers of the cheating to clear the exam, the police said, adding that the involvement of a professional gang cannot be ruled out.

The police said several candidates, a majority of whom were from Haryana, were caught with bluetooth devices and tiny earpieces while another person was arrested for taking the test for a candidate in Shimla.

The NVS exam for non-teaching posts is being held across the country to fill 1,377 posts.

A similar cheating incident is alleged to have happened at two exam centres in Uttarakhand capital Dehradun, and 17 candidates were allegedly caught with suspicious electronic devices.

According to police, invigilators at the New Shimla examination centre got suspicious when a candidate kept going to the toilet many times. Later on checking, a small spy earpiece and a bluetooth device was found in his possession.

Invigilators also checked other candidates who were present at the centre and found electronic devices from some other candidates. Around 40 candidates were caught with bluetooth devices and earpieces.

Meanwhile, a man was arrested in Shimla giving the test in place of another candidate.

Sandeep Kumar, a resident of Haryana, was caught by the invigilator when there was a mismatch of with the signature and photo present on the candidate Ajay Kumar’s documents.

In all, five FIRs have been registered by the police against over three dozen candidates under relevant sections.