CBSE exam QR code redirects to ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ video

A QR code printed on a Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 12 Mathematics question paper redirected users to the music video of Never Gonna Give You Up by British singer Rick Astley , sparking reactions online after the board examination held on March 9.

Soon after the exam concluded, images of the question paper began circulating on social media, with students claiming that scanning one of the QR codes printed on the paper led to the popular 1987 song’s video on YouTube. The unexpected link resembled the classic internet prank known as “rickrolling,” in which users are tricked into opening the music video instead of the intended content.

QR codes are commonly printed on board examination papers as part of security measures. They help authorities verify the authenticity of the question paper and detect possible tampering or leaks.

Responding to the controversy, CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj said the board uses several security features in question papers, including QR codes meant for verification purposes.“On March 9, the Class 12 Mathematics examination was conducted. In a few question paper sets, it appears that when one of the QR codes is scanned, it links to a YouTube video,” Bhardwaj said.

He added that the issue had raised concerns among students and parents about the authenticity of the question papers. However, he clarified that the papers were genuine and the security of the examination process remained intact. “The question papers are authentic and the security of the examination has not been compromised,” he said.

The board also stated that while concerns regarding the authenticity of the papers have been addressed, the matter has been taken seriously and necessary steps will be taken to prevent similar incidents in future.

The issue also drew political reactions. The Indian National Congress Kerala unit shared a student’s video on social media platform X highlighting the incident and criticised the functioning of educational institutions.

Meanwhile, the episode quickly gained attention online, with many social media users joking that students were “rickrolled” during a board exam, referencing the long-running internet prank linked to Astley’s famous song.