Major Cheating Scandal Uncovered in Himachal Pradesh Recruitment Exam
Shimla Police Uncover Cheating Network
Shimla: Authorities have dismantled a significant cheating operation during the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) recruitment exam for non-teaching staff in Himachal Pradesh. This operation revealed a sophisticated network of individuals engaged in exam fraud. Police seized electronic devices from approximately 40 candidates across various exam centers in Shimla, with many of them reportedly hailing from Haryana.
In response to the incident, five separate FIRs have been filed. A special investigation team (SIT) has been established, overseen by the Shimla Assistant Superintendent of Police, to delve deeper into the matter.
Suspicious Behavior Leads to Discovery
The cheating scheme was first detected on Sunday morning (May 18, 2025) at an exam center in a school in New Shimla. One candidate, after passing through a metal detector, requested to use the restroom shortly after the exam commenced.
When he asked to leave again shortly after, the invigilators became suspicious. Upon following him and conducting a thorough check, they found a concealed device strapped to his chest and a Bluetooth earpiece in his ear.
This prompted a comprehensive search of the exam center, resulting in the apprehension of 10 candidates with electronic cheating tools. Officials promptly notified the CBSE’s CTET unit via email. The CBSE, responsible for overseeing the NVS exams, instructed local authorities to file FIRs against the involved parties.
A similar cheating scheme had previously been uncovered during the recruitment exams for constables in the Himachal Pradesh Police, where some of the masterminds were also traced back to Haryana.
High-Tech Cheating with Significant Financial Stakes
Initial investigations suggest that the cheating syndicate had made arrangements worth lakhs of rupees with individual candidates, guaranteeing success through advanced cheating techniques. Candidates were allegedly assisted via Bluetooth devices and microchips, with external accomplices providing answers in real-time.
It is believed that this gang may have secured deals amounting to crores of rupees for this particular exam, which is being conducted nationwide for 1,377 non-teaching positions, including roles such as stenographers, mess helpers, pharmacists, and staff nurses.
Impersonation Attempt Detected
In a related incident, a candidate was caught trying to take the exam on behalf of another individual at a center in Bharari, Shimla. The fraud was uncovered when his fingerprint did not match that of the original candidate.
The impersonator, identified as Sandeep Kumar from Jind, Haryana, was attempting to take the exam for Ajay Kumar, also from Haryana. The police have initiated a case and are conducting further investigations. As police continued to interrogate suspects late into the night, anxious parents waited outside the exam centers, unaware of the scandal unfolding within.