Cheating more in Marathi subject during Maha board exams

It may be the official language of the state, but it is the subject which students attempting the ongoing class Xth and XIIth board exams have found the hardest to tackle, if figures of cheating cases are to be believed.

Cheating patterns during board exams have left authorities from the Maharashtra Education department surprised as students are indulging in fraudulent methods more for Marathi, as compared to other tough subjects.

The latest figures from the Education Department revealed that 337 cheating cases were registered during the standard XII Marathi examinations, while there were 223 cheating cases during the class X examination for the subject, sources from the department said.

Figures for other subject for standard 12th are: English 240 cases, French 31, Hindi 98, Maths-I 148, Maths-II 157 and Physics 234 cases, the sources said. In standard Xth exam, after Marathi subject 178 cases were registered during exams for Hindi and 160 during the English subject exams, the sources said.

A total of 1,253 cases of cheating have been registered during the class XII examination and 561 during the standard X exams till yesterday, they said, adding that the students caught copying were either rusticated or sent to remand homes.

According to the sources, cases have also been registered against 17 teachers. "It was very shocking when teachers in one of the Vidarbha districts were found helping the students in cheating activity by photo copying the answer-sheets," they added.

School Education Minister Rajendra Darda said, "If an examination centre is repeatedly found involved in malpractices like this, it would be delisted from the next examination." The minister claimed that the cheating cases have decreased as compared to last year, following strict measures from the department and cooperation from police.