Itanagar, May 21: In a major crackdown, Arunachal Pradesh police have uncovered a sophisticated cheating racket during a national-level recruitment examination, exposing what appears to be a well-coordinated operation with inter-state links.
The incident occurred during the CBSE-conducted exam for non-teaching posts under the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), which was held at VKV Chimpu and Kingcup Public School in Itanagar. The posts included Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA) and Lab Attendant (LA).
Speaking at a press briefing, Superintendent of Police Rohit Rajbir Singh revealed that the cheating was orchestrated by a group with connections to Jind in Haryana. He also hinted at the possibility of a question paper leak, pointing to a larger, premeditated network operating across multiple states.
The cheating operation came to light when police discovered miniature electronic devices, including 29 earpieces, concealed among candidates appearing for the test. The scale and technological sophistication of the setup—relying on hidden communication tools—has raised serious concerns about exam security in the digital age.
SP Singh noted that the masterminds deliberately targeted remote examination centers and low-profile exams, where surveillance technologies like jammers are often absent. Similar suspicious activity has also been reported in Dimapur, Sikkim, and Dehradun, all of which are now 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 now coordinating with police teams in other states to trace the full extent of the cheating network. Investigations are also probing potential insider involvement and examining 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 mechanisms, and more rigorous vetting of exam centers to prevent such breaches in the future.
