Drone camera exposes mass copying in Maharashtra Class 12 exam, 17 teachers booked

A major case of organised malpractice during the ongoing Class 12 examinations in Maharashtra has come to light after drone surveillance exposed mass copying at an examination centre in Beed district, leading to criminal action and departmental proceedings against 17 teachers.

The incident occurred on Tuesday, the first day of the Higher Secondary Certificate examinations conducted by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, at Centre 224 in Chousala. Drone-mounted cameras deployed for enhanced monitoring captured supervisors in 16 examination halls allegedly allowing and actively assisting students in copying. The footage also showed parents and relatives passing answer chits through classroom windows, indicating a coordinated attempt to facilitate cheating.

Following the exposure, Beed Collector Vivek Johnson ordered immediate and strict action. Accordingly, an FIR was registered on Wednesday night at Neknoor police station against 17 teachers, including the chief conductor , under the Maharashtra Universities, Boards and Other Specified Examinations (Prevention of Malpractices) Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The district administration has also initiated suspension proceedings and departmental inquiries, which could lead to permanent blacklisting from examination duties.

Officials said all examination staff at the Chousala centre have been replaced, and intensified monitoring measures, including drone surveillance, CCTV scrutiny, flying squads and special vigilance teams, have been deployed across sensitive centres. Students found involved may face penalties, including cancellation of papers and possible disqualification.

The Class 12 examinations are currently being conducted at 103 centres across Beed district, with 45,247 students appearing this year. Authorities said the incident dealt a serious blow to efforts to ensure a copy-free examination system and warned that strict action would be taken against anyone found facilitating unfair means.

In a related development, a similar case of mass copying was reported in neighbouring Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district during the HSC English examination on the same day, following which police registered cases against 23 individuals, including invigilators, and initiated disciplinary action.