Pune: In an effort to curb cheating during board examinations, the Pune Board has decided to replace supervisors and exam center heads at 264 centers where malpractice cases have been reported since 2018. The move is part of a strategic plan to ensure fair examinations in the upcoming Class 10 and Class 12 board exams.

The Pune division consists of 660 centers for Class 10 and 432 centers for Class 12 exams across Solapur, Pune, and Ahilyanagar districts. Of these, 139 Class 10 centers and 125 Class 12 centers have been flagged for past instances of cheating. Consequently, the board has compiled a list of these centers and confirmed that officials at these locations will be transferred.

The decision to transfer exam staff was initially met with opposition from teachers’ associations, headmaster unions, and teacher legislators when proposed under the Chief Minister’s 100-Point Program. To address these concerns, the board has now restricted transfers to only those centers with documented cheating cases from 2018 onward, excluding the pandemic period.

According to Pune Board’s divisional secretary Audumbar Ukirade, concrete steps have been taken to ensure that upcoming exams remain malpractice-free. The board has issued directives to education officers, emphasizing strict monitoring at all examination centers.

Flying Squads to Monitor All Exam Centers

While CCTV cameras are mandatory in all schools for student safety, many institutions still lack surveillance systems. To counter this, the board has deployed seven flying squads in each district to monitor exam centers. These squads will conduct surprise visits during the examination period to ensure compliance with anti-cheating measures.

Additionally, the stationary monitoring teams at each center will also be held accountable for preventing malpractice. The board has issued a stern warning that if any center is found to engage in or allow cheating during exams, its authorization will be permanently revoked.