Fact-Check: Video of UP LLB Exam Falsely Shared as Cheating During UPSC Exams

The video shows mass cheating during an LLB examination at City Law College in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh.

A video showing mass cheating by several people during an examination held at City Law College in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki has gone viral on social media.

The claim: The video is being shared to claim that it shows cheating during Civil Services Examinations (CSE), held by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in North India.

• Users sharing the claim have alleged that cheating is the reason why there are "maximum IAS, IPS officers from the North."

(Archived versions of more claims on social media can be seen here, here, and here.)

Is it true?: No, the video was not taken during a civil services examination.

• It shows visuals of mass cheating during a LLB (law) examination, held on 27 February at City Law College in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh.

How did we find out?: The person in the video identifies the location as City Law College in Barabanki, which is a town in Uttar Pradesh.

• Using this as a keyword, we looked for recent news reports related to the college.

• This led us to a video report by India Today, which carried a longer version of the viral video, published on 1 March.

• Another report by the organisation mentioned that students were "caught blatantly copying during an LLB examinations," in the presence of teachers.

• A total of 26 students were apprehended for cheating during the examination.

• The incident reportedly prompted UP CM Yogi Adityanath to issue warnings against those who put students' futures in danger, stating that they will be "given such punishments which will set an example for others."

• Other media reports by Aaj Tak and Dainik Bhaskar can be read here and here.

Action against City Law College: A meeting of the examination committee was held after this video went viral on social media.

• Headed by the Vice Chancellor of the Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University, the committee decided the cancel the examination which was held, reported Amar Ujala, adding that it would be held again.

• The university's X (formerly Twitter) account also shared screenshots of news articles related to this incident.

• Apart from this, a decision was taken against the center itself, which said that City Law College would not be made an examination center for the next six years. Additionally, the institute would have to pay a fine of two lakh rupees.

The Quint has contacted the university's Controller of Examination and will update this report with their response if and when it is received.

Conclusion: A video of mass cheating during a law examination in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki is being shared with a misleading claim that it shows malpractice during a civil services examination.

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