In a shocking incident of hi-tech academic fraud, the Gachibowli police in Hyderabad have registered a malpractice case and arrested two candidates for employing sophisticated electronic gadgets to cheat during a recruitment examination conducted by the University of Hyderabad (UoH). The accused, identified as Satish and Anil Kumar, were apprehended on Sunday for using Bluetooth devices and mobile phones to illicitly receive answers.
The Suspicious Behaviour That Led to Capture
The malpractice came to light during the junior officer assistant (JOA) recruitment exam held on the UoH campus. Invigilators grew suspicious when the two candidates repeatedly left the examination hall, citing the need to use the washroom. Acting on this suspicion, officials conducted a thorough frisking and discovered an array of electronic gadgets cleverly concealed on their bodies.
Deputy Commissioner of Police for the Madhapur zone, Ritiraj, revealed that the accused had managed to smuggle the devices past initial security checks at the entrance. "They concealed the gadgets by taping them to their stomachs. Though frisking was conducted, the devices escaped initial checks," the DCP stated, highlighting a significant security lapse.
A Sophisticated and Professional Operation
Further investigation revealed the elaborate nature of the cheating setup. Officials reported that one candidate was caught after an invigilator heard him repeatedly uttering the word "repeat." Upon being taken to a separate room for questioning, a complex web of technology was uncovered.
Senior university officials detailed the setup: a mobile phone with its camera facing the question paper was taped to the candidate's chest, a Bluetooth device was hidden under layers of clothing, another device with an alert switch was concealed in his underwear, and a small receiver was found in his ear.
"It appeared to be a professional operation. Such methods often go undetected, as the candidate even passed through metal detectors and frisking," a university official told the media. During interrogation, the candidate disclosed that he was in communication with someone outside the exam centre to receive answers and claimed that the same modus operandi is used in other national-level examinations in Delhi and Haryana.
Investigation and Wider Implications
Based on this confession, the second candidate, who had accompanied the first from Haryana, was also found using a similar arrangement. Both individuals are residents of Haryana, and police are actively investigating whether they were assisted by accomplices operating from outside the examination centre.
University authorities emphasized that such cases typically remain undetected but were caught this time due to stringent monitoring. A formal police complaint was filed after the conclusion of the examination.
The recruitment exam was conducted to fill approximately 15 posts, with each position offering a starting salary of around Rs 45,000 per month. This high-stakes incentive is believed to have motivated the candidates to resort to fraudulent means. The incident raises serious concerns about the integrity of recruitment processes and the evolving methods used to bypass security protocols.
