In one of the largest exam cheating busts in recent memory, the Arunachal Pradesh police have arrested 53 candidates from Haryana for allegedly using sophisticated electronic devices to cheat in a recruitment exam conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS).
The accused were caught red-handed during the May 18 examination for non-teaching posts, including junior secretariat assistants (JSA) and lab attendants (LA), at multiple centers in Itanagar, reported NDTV.
Police say the scam was orchestrated by a Haryana-based cheating syndicate that exploited remote exam centres to bypass tight security protocols.
The cheating setup was as elaborate as it was alarming. According to Superintendent of Police Rohit Rajbir Singh, the candidates were equipped with GSM-enabled electronic devices concealed in undergarments, and micro earpieces inserted deep inside their ears – invisible to the naked eye.
“Once the exam began, the candidates would quietly communicate the question paper set code to external handlers,” said SP Singh. “Using brief pauses or coughs as signals, answers were dictated back in real time via the hidden earpieces.”
This real-time relay system allowed the candidates to cheat undetected – until one alert invigilator at Kingcup Public School noticed suspicious behaviour during the evening lab attendant exam, reported the Press Trust of India.
A student was found fidgeting repeatedly with his clothing and was discovered with a concealed device. Police were called in immediately, and 23 students were apprehended on the spot. Another was caught at Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya.
Subsequent raids on hotels and lodges where the examinees were staying led to the arrest of 29 more suspects, bringing the total to 53.
The criminal syndicate behind the operation is believed to be based in Jind, Haryana – more than 2,600km from the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. Investigators say this network specialises in helping candidates pass competitive exams in exchange for hefty payments, using high-tech cheating devices.
Candidates were allegedly instructed to select remote exam centres like Itanagar, Dimapur (Nagaland) and Gangtok (Sikkim) to reduce the chances of getting caught. Once admit cards were released, they were given the devices and trained in their use.
“This was no ordinary cheating. It was a professionally coordinated racket,” SP Singh said. “The candidates themselves admitted to being coached on how to use the devices discreetly. The aim was to exploit vulnerabilities in low-surveillance regions.”
Police seized 29 GSM-enabled devices, micro earpieces, batteries and SIM cards during the crackdown. Several of the arrested individuals have already confessed to their roles in the operation, reported NDTV.
All 53 suspects have been booked under multiple laws, including the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Information Technology Act and the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
First information reports have been registered at the Niti Vihar and Chimpu police stations.
Officials have launched a wider probe into the syndicate’s activities, suspecting links to similar cheating attempts reported in Chandigarh, Shimla, Dehradun and Gangtok.
“The scale of this racket could be national,” said an investigating officer. “This isn’t just about one exam; this is about systematically undermining the integrity of public recruitment.”
The CBSE and NVS authorities have been formally notified, and special teams have been dispatched to Haryana to identify and arrest the handlers and middlemen.
“This is a serious breach, and it’s shocking that so many were involved,” said an NVS official who wished to remain anonymous. “We will work closely with law enforcement to ensure the culprits behind this network are punished, and safeguards are tightened.”
