A video depicting widespread cheating during an examination has sparked controversy on social media, with a false claim suggesting it occurred during a Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination in Uttar Pradesh. However, India TV's Fact Check team has debunked this claim, revealing that the video captures an incident of mass cheating at City Law College in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, during a law examination in February this year.
Origins of the video
The video, which has gone viral, showcases students using guides and cheat sheets to jot down answers on their desks during the examination. The incident, recorded by an individual present at the scene, clearly identifies it as taking place at City Law College in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh. Despite this, the misleading caption accompanying the video falsely implicates malpractices during UPSC exams.
Confirmation of the incident
India TV's Fact Check team conducted a thorough investigation and unearthed several news bulletins from February reporting the mass cheating incident in Barabanki. Hindi news channel AajTak aired the video on February 29, 2024, shedding light on the incident at a college in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh. The report detailed how students openly resorted to cheating during their LLB examination on February 27, with teachers present.
Eyewitness account
Shivam Singh, a student at TRC Law College, captured the cheating incident on camera during his fifth semester of the LLB program. Singh disclosed that the college principal solicited money from him to allow cheating during the examination, a proposition he refused. Despite this, when Singh returned to collect his admit card, he was directed straight to the examination center, City Law College, on February 27, where rampant cheating was underway.
Consequences and resolution
Following the revelation of the cheating scandal, the law examination at City Law College, Barabanki, held on February 27, was nullified after the live broadcast of the cheating on Facebook. Additionally, the college faced severe penalties, including being barred from hosting examinations for six years and a fine of Rs 2 lakh, as reported by Dainik Bhaskar on March 8, 2024.
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