Pune: In a major embarrassment for the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, an official from the Latur division was caught secretly photographing and sending a sample handwritten answer sheet to teachers in Dharashiv district during a meeting meant to enforce anti-copying measures in Class 10 and Class 12 exams. A police complaint has been filed against him.
The incident occurred during a Biology subject chief regulators' meeting held on Thursday at the board’s headquarters in Pune’s Sharda Hall. Chief regulators from all nine divisional boards, including Marathi and Urdu medium regulators, were present.
Before the meeting began at 11:00 AM, all attendees were required to submit their mobile phones. Out of 15 members, 14 complied, but the chief regulator from Latur falsely claimed he did not have a phone and even provided a written statement confirming this.
At 11:30 AM, after sample handwritten answer sheets were distributed, a Marathi medium board member noticed the Latur regulator secretly taking photos using his mobile phone. Upon confrontation, the accused handed over his phone, which was then examined.
Police investigations confirmed that he had sent the images to two teachers from Mankani, Dharashiv district. The mobile phone was immediately confiscated, and the board authorities filed a police complaint at Shivajinagar Police Station.