The Special Task Force (STF) apprehended 16 individuals involved in solving the Class 10 English question paper in two separate raids in Hardoi district on Saturday.
The paper, scheduled for the morning shift from 8:30 am to 11:45 am, was being solved unlawfully at multiple locations, including the residence of a school principal, an official confirmed.
In the first instance, the STF, acting on intelligence inputs, raided the premises of Jagannath Singh Public Inter College in Katiyamau village, accompanied by District Inspector of Schools (DIOS) Balmukund Prasad.
The team proceeded to the residence of the school principal, situated three to four kilometres away, where they discovered 14 individuals—five men and nine women—illegally solving the question paper. Among them, one claimed to be a teacher of the same institution.
A total of 20 answer sheets were seized during the operation, exposing a well-organised cheating network.
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In a separate raid, two women were caught red-handed while solving the question paper outside Jai Subhash Mahabali Inter College in Dalel Nagar. They were allegedly part of another solver gang impersonating students appearing for the exam.
District Inspector of Schools Balmukund Prasad said, "The two solver gangs have been impersonating students who were appearing for the examination at the respective centres."
The STF has arrested all 16 individuals involved in the racket. The confiscated answer sheets and question papers have been sealed as evidence.
Further action is being initiated against the administrators of the implicated examination centres.
"The centre administrators and static magistrates of both schools will be replaced. A letter has also been sent to higher authorities seeking action against the centre administrators, external administrators, and static magistrates of both centres," Prasad added.
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