Pune: Two Engineering Students from Symbiosis College Debarred After Wearing Meta Smart Glasses During Exam
Pune, 21st May 2026: Two students from the engineering department of the Symbiosis Institute of Technology were barred from appearing for an examination after invigilators allegedly found them wearing Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses during the test conducted on May 19.
The incident has now been referred to the unfair means committee of Symbiosis International (Deemed) University for further inquiry and action.
Confirming the development, university Pro-Chancellor Vidya Yeravdekar said the invigilator identified the glasses as Meta-enabled smart eyewear, which can potentially be used for activities such as accessing AI-based applications, including ChatGPT, or capturing photographs during examinations.
“The invigilator immediately noticed that the students were wearing Meta Ray-Ban glasses, which are not permitted during examinations because they can be used for multiple purposes such as accessing AI tools or taking pictures,” Yeravdekar said.
University authorities clarified that no evidence has so far emerged to suggest that the students had actually used ChatGPT or any other AI platform to cheat during the examination. However, considering the potential misuse of the device, the matter has been escalated to the institute- and university-level unfair means committees.
Pending the outcome of the inquiry and the committee’s decision, both students have been temporarily debarred from the examination, officials said.
The Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses are wearable devices equipped with built-in cameras, audio systems and AI-enabled features, raising concerns among educational institutions over their possible misuse during examinations.
