PUNE/AURANGABAD: The Maharashtra state board of secondary and higher secondary education has ordered an inquiry into the alleged mass-copying incident at Latur and two more cases of malpractice reported from Buldhana and Ahmednagar on the first day of the HSC exams. The board will also send a fresh proposal to the state government for CCTV cameras at all exam centres in Maharashtra.On Tuesday, when students were giving the first exam for English, a video clip surfaced purportedly showing a few outsiders solving a leaked question paper at an exam centre in Shivani-Kotal village of Nilanga taluka in Latur. It was reported in the local media that mass copying had allegedly taking place at the centre with the help of invigilators and parents. When the board got to know of the alleged incident, it removed the exam centre head from his post pending an inquiry.A three-member team led by Ganpat More, acting secretary of the Latur division of the state board, visited Shivani-Kotal village to verify the video-clip incident. However, the team could not trace the school purportedly shown in the video clip. "We could not trace the school going by the clip and have accordingly submitted a report to the head office. Any further action will be based on an official directive from the head office," More said.Asked about the development, board chairman Gangadhar Mhamane said, "We expect to get the inquiry report this week. The Latur divisional board officials will take a call on whether or not to reinstate the exam centre head."In Buldhana, a Whatsapp image of the English question paper was being circulated minutes after the exam started. In Ahmednagar, it was reported that the same question paper had been found in a photocopy shop.Mhamane said, "We have to first verify whether this Whatsapp image and the paper found at the photocopy shop are copies of the English question paper. We will send a team to inquire into both cases."Senior board officials on Wednesday said they have pulled up division-level officials for the alleged paper leak and cheating reported on Tuesday and instructed them to ensure malpractice-free examinations.When asked about not allowing teachers to carry cellphones inside the exam centre, Mhamane said there was already a rule in place that prohibited teachers and invigilators on exam duty from taking mobile phones into the exam centre but it is not being implemented effectively."Even the exam centre head is supposed to have only a basic phone so that he can communicate with the divisional board immediately if there is any problem," said Mhamane.Board officials said that a letter instructing teachers not to use mobile phones or other electronic devices at exam centres was again issued to all centres on Tuesday.About CCTVs in exam centres, Mhamane said there are about 7,000 such centres and it comes down to who will bear the cost of installing the cameras. "We had sent a proposal last year in this regard and will be sending a fresh proposal this year too," he said.About 14 lakh students appeared for the English exam on Tuesday when 42 cases of copying or malpractice were reported by the board, including 10 in Pune division and one in Latur division. As many as 19 malpractice cases were reported for the Hindi language exam on Wednesday. Nearly 3 lakh students are appearing for the HSC examination in the state.

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