SSC algebra paper leaked, one student arrested

A 16-year-old boy appearing for the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) algebra examination was arrested late on Tuesday evening for allegedly leaking the question paper.
The Kandivli police arrested the boy after the supervisor found an additional copy of a question paper with the boy at the Y B Chavan High School in Kandivli (West).

The boy was caught with an extra copy by Bharat Sonawane, the supervisor at the centre. "The boy was given question set B of the algebra paper. He was caught copying by the invigilator, who also found a copy of question set C. How the paper reached the student is yet to be known," said Laxmikant Pande, chairperson of Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE).

On Tuesday, 2,88,676 students appeared for the Algebra paper from 11 am to 1 pm in the Mumbai division, which also includes Thane and Raigad.
A member of the state board's flying squad, on condition of anonymity, said that the boy changed his version several times.

"At first, he said his father gave him a copy of the paper. Then, he changed the story and said he bought it from someone at Borivli station," said the member. Principal of the Y B Chavan School was unavailable for comment.

The Kandivli police have registered a complaint against the student under Section 6 (Prohibition of supply or publication of any question paper before examination is held) and 7 (Prohibition of copying and impersonating at examinations) of the Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices at University, Board and other Specified Examination Act, 1982.

"We started investigation after receiving a complaint from the supervisor and we are probing if it was a leak," said a police officer at the Kandivli station.
A decision on re-examination will be taken only after the police investigation.

"We will decide on re-examination only after the police complete their investigations. Depending on the scale of the leak and how many people it reached out to, we will take a call," said Pande.
Last year, too, the algebra question paper was leaked and the owner of a coaching class in Ambernath was arrested. However, a re-exam was not conducted as the paper was not circulated.

No decision on re-exam 
A decision whether there will be a re-examination for algebra will be taken only after the police investigation. 
“We will decide on re-examination only after the police complete their investigations. Depending on the scale of the leak and how many people it reached out to, we will take a call,” said Laxmikant Pande, chairperson of Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education. 
Last year, too, the algebra question paper was leaked and the owner of a coaching class in Ambernath was arrested. However, a re-exam was not conducted as the paper was not circulated.