Accountancy question paper of the CBSE's class XII board examination, held on Thursday, was leaked through the WhatsApp in morning, Delhi education minister and deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said on Thursday, referring to a complaint.
Following this, the central board of secondary education (CBSE) officials held an urgent meeting and decided to lodge a first information report (FIR) with police in connection with the claims of paper leak.
The board, however, stressed that a preliminary inquiry into the matter brought to the fore that there was no leakage of the paper as "all the seals were found to be intact at all the examination centres."
"Some miscreants have tried to play mischief by circulating messages through WhatsApp and other social media to disturb the sanctity of examinations," it also stressed.
The news about paper leak surfaced after Sisodia, who also holds portfolio of education in Delhi government, tweeted about it, saying that he had received a complaint in this connection.
Examination of the Class XII accountancy paper was on at all the examination centres across the country when Sisodia tweeted about the claims of paper leak on the basis of the complaint.
"Received complaints about the Class 12 CBSE accountancy paper being leaked (sic). Have asked officers of directorate of education to investigate and lodge a complaint with the CBSE," Sisodia tweeted at 11.55 am while the examination for the subject was underway across the country.
He also demanded that the CBSE must take a swift action on the complaint, charging the board with "negligence."
"So that hard-working students don't suffer due to the negligence of (the) CBSE. (The) CBSE is one of the most reputed organizations. I'm sure they will take swift action and try to find out how the paper reached WhatsApp right before the exam. If a particular centre is at fault then let not all the students suffer," Sisodia said in a series of tweets.
In its response, the CBSE said claims of a paper leak could not be confirmed but a decision was taken to take strict against "such activity."
Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry remained tight-lipped on the issue.
This comes close on the heels of a complaint that a CBSE school got answer booklets of some other subject (not accountancy) transported on a Delhi metro rail in violation of the rules.
Following the complaint, the CBSE conducted an enquiry and came up with a clarification.
The board said that though the transportation of the board examination answer booklets through public transport was barred under rules, it was confirmed that the secrecy of the answer booklets was "not compromised" when the complaint in this regard was verified.