How do paper leaks take place?

To understand this, we need to examine the steps involved in the examination process - right from the setting of the question paper to the point where it reaches the examination hall.

Let's break this down.

BREAKING DOWN PAPER LEAKS IN 6 STEPS

A multimedia immersive by Piyush Rai and The Quint Lab

STAGE 1: SETTING OF PAPER

Paper or sets of papers are submitted by the experts appointed.

RISK LEVEL: LOW

Past cases-

Till now there have been no reports of major leaks at this stage.

STAGE 2: PRINTING PRESS

The paper is printed at government designated printing press.

RISK LEVEL: HIGH

Past Cases-

1. In 2024, paper of RO/ARO exam conducted by UP Public service commission was leaked from printing press in Bhopal
2. In 2021, director of a printing press was arrested in connection with the UP TET paper leak case.
3. Paper of Teacher recruitment exam conducted by Bihar public service commission in 2024 was leaked from a printing press in Kolkata.
4. In 2022, paper of the Himachal Pradesh police recruitment exam was leaked from a printing press in Ghaziabad.
5. The paper for Gujarat police recruitment exam held in 2018 was leaked from a printing press in Manipal, Karnataka.

STAGE 3: TRANSPORTATION PART ONE

The printed paper is placed in sealed trunks and handed over for transportation to another agency.

RISK LEVEL: HIGH

Past Cases-

1. The 2024 UP police constable paper leak took place from a warehouse of a transportation firm in Ahmedabad.
2. The paper of the 2023 Bihar constable recruitment exam held was leaked from a private company's warehouse in Patna.

STAGE 4: TRANSPORTATION PART TWO

The sealed papers are sent to the government treasury in districts where exam centres are located.

RISK LEVEL: MODERATE

Past Cases-

Paper of Teacher recruitment exam held by Bihar public service commission in 2024 was leaked in transit from Patna to Nawada.

STAGE 5: THE EXAM CENTRE

The sealed question papers are sent to various centres on the day of examination.

RISK LEVEL: HIGH

Past Cases-

1. Paper for Rajasthan police sub inspector recruitment held in 2021 was leaked from an exam centre in Jaipur.
2. Apart from printing press, paper of RO/ARO exam conducted by UP police service commission in 2024 was leaked from exam centre in Prayagraj.

STAGE 6: THE EXAMINATION HALL

Question paper reaches the examination hall where candidates take the exam.

RISK LEVEL: HIGH

Past Cases-

The 'Solver Gang' comes into the picture at this state as they send proxies to take the exam in place of the actual candidate. This is one of the most common methods of exam cheating.  

Each time a paper leaks, it harms the future of lakhs of students who have given the exam. Will the systemic failures causing paper leaks be addressed?

Credits

REPORTER
Piyush Rai

GRAPHICS
Midjourney, directed by Kamran Akhter

CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Naman Shah

SENIOR EDITOR
Aditya Menon