Subhechcha Ganguly 
Chandigarh Police have arrested 17 individuals across four examination centres for impersonation and use of electronic devices during the Navodaya Vidyalaya recruitment exam conducted on Sunday. Authorities suspect the involvement of a larger, organized cheating racket and are currently analyzing the accused’s devices and call records.
The arrests were triggered by complaints from school principals, leading to the registration of multiple FIRs in different police stations across the city.
At Moti Ram Arya Senior Secondary School, Sector 27, Ajay Kumar (23) from Bhiwani and Monika Devi (27) from Jind were caught impersonating real candidates. Suspicion arose due to biometric mismatches at the entry point. One of the accused was also found in possession of an electronic device believed to be used for cheating. An FIR was registered at Sector 26 police station.
At Mount Carmel School in Sector 47, Vishal Malik (28), from Hisar, was nabbed using an electronic gadget during the exam. This led to an FIR at Sector 31 police station.
In another incident at St Anne’s Convent School, Sector 32, Ajay Kumar from Rohtak and Sonu Kumar from Hisar were caught with electronic devices, resulting in an FIR at Sector 34 police station.
The most significant crackdown occurred at Sri Guru Harkrishan Senior Secondary Public School, Sector 40-C, where 12 individuals — including three women — were arrested for similar offences. A separate FIR was lodged at the Sector 39 police station.
“We’re investigating the possibility of a broader nexus behind this. Their call logs and electronic devices are under examination,” a senior police officer confirmed.
The coordinated arrests have raised serious concerns about the integrity of competitive examinations and the extent of organized cheating operations targeting recruitment tests.
