On the inaugural day of the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Board examinations, Maharashtra reported 42 instances of academic dishonesty, with over half occurring in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division. This was stated in a report by The Times of India.
Notably, Mumbai, Kolhapur, and the Konkan divisions reported zero such cases, as confirmed by Sharad Gosavi, the state board's Chairman.
The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education implemented enhanced measures to promote fair examinations. One initiative was the Copy Mukt Abhiyan, part of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's 100-day plan for the School Education Department. Technological interventions such as drone surveillance and CCTV monitoring were employed, alongside sensitisation campaigns to educate students on the negative consequences of cheating.
In Mumbai, approximately 3.4 lakh students are participating in the exams, with commerce being the most popular stream, followed by science. Examinations are being conducted across 670 centres in the Mumbai division, which encompasses six districts. Rajendra Ahire, Mumbai Divisional Board Chairman, reported that the exams proceeded smoothly across all centres.
Counsellors in Mumbai noted minor inquiries from students regarding permissible items during the exams. At one centre, a student raised a concern about the prohibition of writing pads. Upon clarification, it was communicated that transparent writing pads are allowed.
This year, the examinations commenced ten days earlier than in previous years to facilitate the timely announcement of results, enabling students to apply promptly for various courses. The state board is overseeing the examinations across nine divisions: Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Kolhapur, Konkan, Latur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Amravati.
To reduce malpractice, the state board relocated 818 exam centres this year, with the highest number (205) in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, owing to reports of cheating at these centres over the past five years.
The proactive measures and technological interventions appear to have contributed to a decrease in reported cheating incidents compared to previous years, reflecting the board's commitment to upholding the integrity of the examination process.
