A woman was among 13 people arrested so far in connection with the question paper of Assam Direct Recruitment Examination (ADRE) 2024 surfacing on social media. This was after SEBA clarified on Monday that the papers were uploaded 30 hours after the examination.
The prime accused, 38-year-old, Mangal Singh Basumutary, a photographer engaged by the Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA) had uploaded a question paper used at the Upendra National Academy exam centre in Dhemaji district's Simen Chapori. He had been detained and confessed to the having clicked photographs of the question paper, informed Assam DGP Gyanendra Pratap Singh.
With the police probe into the matter still underway, many others have been arrested. They are Markap Narzary (29), Dijen Bodo (30), Umesh Brahma (46), Dilip Daimary (40), Manohar Narzary (49), Sumen Ahmed (23), Gajen Das (26), Deharsad Narzary (33), Bipen Basumatary (18), Roimalo Bodo (21), Ramen Basumatary (39), and Piyalata Sonowal (36).
A question paper of the recently concluded ADRE class III examination in Assam on September 15, was widely circulted on social media after which authorities took notice. The used question paper, identified by booklet number 1035034, appeared on social media at 4:15 pm on September 16— over 30 hours after the examination concluded. The paper was timestamped at 2:17 pm on September 15, indicating it was photographed after the exam ended.
This was on the back of extensive security measures including large deployment of personnel, CCTV coverage, internet shutdown, and more.
Addressing the lapse, the SEBA Principal Examination Controller stated, "The ADRE-2024 was conducted successfully, and all used and unused OMR answer sheets, attendance sheets, and reports were packed and sealed under strict supervision. These materials were sent to central strong rooms in the respective District Commissioner offices immediately after the examination.”
“After 1:30 PM on September 15, the question papers were no longer confidential. Mobile internet services were suspended from 10 AM to 1:30 PM on September 15, ruling out any possibility of uploads or transfers before or during the exam," added the statement.
SEBA stressed that the release of question papers post-examination does not affect the integrity of the process. They condemned the act as a false attempt to create a paper leak impression and pledged strict legal action against those spreading rumors.