Instances of alleged impersonation, cheating and malpractice have come to light from exam centres across the country during the ongoing session of the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2024.
On Thursday, April 4, the National Testing Agency (NTA) released a public notice informing that nine cases of unfair means and one case of impersonation were caught on the very first day of the JEE Main April session.
However, students from different areas of the country have suggested that these numbers might be much higher.
After the first day of JEE Main 2024 session two concluded on April 4, candidates reported cases of impersonation, cheating and paper leak. Further, it was also reported that at a few exam centres, the candidates bribed invigilators and sneaked cell phones inside the exam halls.
Purnima Lodha Kaul, a JEE Mentor at JEE One, a virtual educational platform for JEE training, informed EdexLive that similar cases have been reported from exam centres in Kota, Noida, parts of Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
“It is absolutely disheartening that an exam which is conducted on such a large scale and serves as eligibility for admissions into premiere IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology) is being managed in such a poor manner. Despite so many measures taken by the NTA to avoid cheating and misconduct, a large number of cases have come forward. My students reported that invigilators were taking Rs 1,000 from candidates, and allowing them to sit together and even bring cellphones inside the exam halls,” Kaul informed.
Images and screenshots of the question paper taken inside the examination hall have also surfaced on social media. Candidates allege that students who carried cell phones inside the exam halls circulated these pictures among other aspirants.
“At first, we were also hesitant about the complaints, wondering how cheating could be done on such a massive level. However, the screenshots from the exam hall are real and match NTA’s question paper as well,” she added further.
Apart from cases of malpractice, students also reported facing technical glitches during the examination. Such instances raise concerns about the credibility of the entrance-level examination, she said.
Now, a few candidates have taken to social media, urging the authorities to reconduct the exam to ensure fair opportunities for all students.
The second session of the JEE Main began on April 4 and will end on April 12.
