Telangana: Secret codes to arrest SSC question papers leakage

The unique codes on question papers will help trace the centre, hall from where a question paper is leaked, photographed or photocopied and posted on social media

Hyderabad: Having learnt the lesson the hard way, the Education Department initiated robust measures to prevent Class X exams question paper leak this year.

For the first time, unique secret security codes will be printed on the question papers of the SSC Public Exams commencing March 21.

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If a question paper is leaked, photographed or photocopied and posted on the messaging applications and social media platforms, the security code will aid in tracing the source besides identifying the centre and hall from which the paper has been leaked. The unique code will be printed on all question papers.

“This measure is aimed at preventing question paper leak. If the question paper is leaked, the individuals behind the leak can be caught within no time,” said a senior official.

In 2023, two back to back incidents of SSC exams question paper leakage triggered a massive uproar, forcing officials to suspend invigilators and centre superintendents.

In the first case, within a few minutes of the commencement of the first Class X exam, an invigilator at an exam centre in Tandur allegedly photographed the first language question paper (Telugu) and circulated it in WhatsApp. Following day, the second language Hindi question paper was leaked on WhatsApp.

This time, around 5.1 lakh students registered for the Class X exams, which will be conducted from March 21 to April 4.

Meanwhile, commencing this academic year 2024-25, in place of the existing multiple answer sheets system, the department introduced a single 24-page answer booklet for all the Class X exams.

The booklet will eliminate the need for multiple sheets, ensuring that answers are in a single booklet and reduces the risk of pages getting misplaced with improper tying of the sheets. This move is also aimed at curbing mass copying in the examination halls.

Further, retaining the existing system of allocating 80 marks for the external and 20 marks for internal exams for this academic year only, the department earlier shifted from grading to marks system in Class X exams. However, from the next academic year there will be no internal exams and students will be evaluated only on the basis of external exams.