Pune: Maharashtra School Exam Papers Leaked on YouTube; FIR Filed in Pune
Pune, 7th August 2025: A major lapse in examination confidentiality has surfaced in Maharashtra after question papers and answer keys meant for students in Classes 3 to 9 were allegedly leaked and uploaded on private YouTube channels before the scheduled assessments. The Vishrambaug Police Station in Pune has now registered an FIR against the channels involved in the unauthorized dissemination.
The complaint was lodged by Sangeeta Prabhakar Shinde (50), Assistant Director at the State Council of Education Research and Training (SCERT). She reported that on the afternoon of August 6, it was discovered that several question papers — including those yet to be administered — were already available online via YouTube. The names of the channels mentioned in the initial probe are ‘Kailasan Sir Maths’, ‘M Marathi’, and ‘SJ Tuition Classes’.
SCERT periodically conducts academic evaluations for students studying in government, semi-government, and aided schools throughout the state. These tests cover key subjects such as Marathi (first language), Mathematics, and English (third language).
According to officials, the Class 7 Marathi exam held on August 5, along with Mathematics papers for Classes 7 and 8 scheduled for August 7, were found online ahead of the respective exam dates. These papers, prepared under SCERT’s guidelines, had been securely distributed to district education offices between July 17 and July 31 via private couriers. Authorities suspect that the breach may have occurred during this delivery window or while handling the papers at local offices.
The accused YouTube creators are alleged to have obtained the test papers and uploaded them with answer solutions, without any permission from the state’s education department. This act violates government norms on exam confidentiality and has triggered legal action under multiple provisions of Indian law.
The FIR invokes sections from the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Information Technology Act, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) — specifically Sections 72, 223, and 3(5) — which pertain to unauthorized access and misuse of confidential information, and interference in public systems.
Officials clarified that the FIR is intended to act as a deterrent and to preserve the credibility of the student evaluation framework across Maharashtra.
Police have begun digital forensics to trace the source of the leak and identify how the papers were accessed before their intended release. Investigators are examining whether the materials were compromised during transportation or at any stage while in possession of district-level education authorities. Insider involvement has not been ruled out.
