HSC Secretarial Practice paper leaked on WhatsApp minutes before exam

The Mumbai division of the Maharashtra state board has filed a complaint with the Vashi police

After images of the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exam’s Marathi paper were leaked on social media on Thursday, photographs of the Secretarial Practice (SP) paper were said to be circulating on WhatsApp on Saturday, at least 10 minutes before the paper was given to the examinees.

The 100-mark paper is one of the elective subjects for commerce students. (Picture for representation)

The Mumbai division of the Maharashtra state board has filed a complaint with the Vashi police.

More than 1.34 lakh students from the Mumbai division — which includes Thane, Palghar and Raigad — appeared for the SP exam at 11.00 am. Students usually enter the exam hall at 10.30 and are given the paper by 10.50 am.

However, board authorities said photographs of the question paper emerged on WhatsApp minutes before the exam began. The images matched the actual question paper.

“We have received the images. On comparing them to the actual paper, both sets matched,” said Dattatray Jagtap, chairperson of the divisional board. “We have given the police a written application and they will start investigating soon,” he added.

Jagtap denied claims that the paper was made available on WhatsApp last night.

The 100-mark paper is one of the elective subjects for commerce students. Academicians said they were surprised that the paper was leaked, as it is considered to be an easy subject.

While the board has not yet confirmed this, there were rumours that photographs of Physics paper, which was held at 11 am on Saturday, were also circulating on student groups on WhatsApp earlier that morning.

HT reported on Saturday that the board has not yet taken steps to beef up its security at exam centres, even after Thursday’s Marathi paper was leaked on social media minutes before the exam.

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