In a major breach of exam protocol, Chhattisgarh police uncovered a sophisticated cheating racket during the Public Works Department (PWD) recruitment examination held on July 18. Authorities arrested two sisters and a candidate who were allegedly using hidden gadgets, including a spy camera, to leak and solve the exam questions in real-time.
The arrests took place in the Bemetara district, where the two women were found loitering near an exam centre with suspicious devices. Meanwhile, a candidate inside the centre was caught with a concealed camera button device linked to an earpiece—part of a setup designed to transmit live images of the question paper to external solvers.
Spy Tech Meets High-Stakes Testing
During a routine check, invigilators noticed the candidate behaving oddly. A detailed frisking revealed a hidden camera inside a shirt button,” said a senior officer. The two sisters, who were waiting nearby in a vehicle, were caught with electronic gadgets, multiple phones, and suspected answer sheets.
According to the police, the modus operandi involved the spy camera capturing the question paper and sending it to accomplices outside, who would solve it and transmit the answers via wireless earpieces. Investigators believe the group may be part of a larger organised network targeting competitive government exams in the state.
All three individuals have been charged under various sections of the IPC and the Chhattisgarh Conduct of Examinations Act, which penalises the use of unfair means in public recruitment tests.
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Larger Network Under the Scanner
This incident comes amid growing concerns about the integrity of competitive exams in India, many of which have been marred by recent allegations of mass cheating and paper leaks. Police are now scanning call records and digital evidence from seized devices to trace others involved in the racket.
Authorities have stepped up security across examination centres, including the use of metal detectors and jammers, but admit that covert tech-enabled cheating remains a major challenge.
Officials confirmed that further arrests are likely as forensic analysis of the digital equipment continues.