CBSE responds to Maths paper 'rickrolls' row. Here's what it said

CBSE has clarified the issue on Class 12 Maths paper QR code held on March 9.

Updated on: Mar 10, 2026, 17:14:44 IST

By HT News Desk | Written by Papri Chanda

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The Central Board of Secondary Education has issued a clarification following reports of a QR code printed on the CBSE Class 12 Maths Exam 2026 held on March 9, 2026. The QR code printed on the question paper allegedly redirected users to a YouTube video of the song ' Never Can Say Goodbye' by singer Rick Astley.

CBSE responds to Maths paper 'rickrolls' row. Here's what it said

In the clarification issued by the Board, CBSE has confirmed that the question papers are genuine and that their security remains uncompromised.

CBSE further added that while the concern about the veracity of the question papers has been put to rest, the matter has been taken seriously, and the Board is taking necessary steps to ensure that such issues are not repeated in the future.

The QR code on the Class 12 Mathematics paper redirected users to a YouTube video of the song "Never Gonna Give You Up" by English singer Rick Astley, which created confusion among students and raised concern about the veracity of the question papers among concerned students and their parents.

Many users claimed that scanning the QR code printed on the paper opened the song video on YouTube — a well-known internet prank popularly referred to as a “rickroll”.

The CBSE Class 12 Mathematics Exam 2026 was held on March 9 from 10.30 am to 1.30 pm. According to teachers, the Mathematics paper was well-structured and balanced, with most questions based on the NCERT syllabus and prescribed curriculum. The paper tested students’ conceptual understanding and problem-solving abilities. None of the questions was outside the syllabus, making it accessible for students who had prepared thoroughly through NCERT and regular practice. Overall, it was a fair paper with a good mix of easy, moderate, and application-based questions.

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