Jharkhand Board cancels 10th Hindi and Science exams after question paper leak

The Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) has canceled the Class 10 Hindi and Science exams after reports of a paper leak surfaced on social media. The Hindi exam held on February 18 and the Science exam held on February 20 have been declared invalid following an investigation that confirmed the leak. The board will announce new exam dates soon for affected students.

The matter came to light when a WhatsApp group allegedly selling leaked papers was discovered. According to reports, the question papers were leaked two days before the exam, and students were asked to pay ₹350 via barcode to receive the papers and answers in PDF format. Following the Science exam, students confirmed that the leaked paper matched the actual exam, prompting the JAC to cancel both exams statewide.

The paper leak has been traced to Koderma and Giridih, with the JAC Board seeking a clarification from the district administrations of these regions. A social media group named ‘JAC Board Examination Question Paper 2025’ was created specifically for the leak, quickly amassing over 1,000 members. Investigations revealed that students and parents were paying to access the leaked questions.

JAC issued an official statement confirming the cancellation of both exams and urged students, parents, and school officials to remain updated regarding the new exam dates. “In light of complaints related to the viral question paper on social media, the Hindi (Course A and Course B) exam from February 18 and the Science exam from February 20 are canceled. The revised schedule will be announced later,” the board stated.

This massive exam malpractice scandal has raised concerns over security measures in state board exams. Authorities are now looking into who facilitated the leak and how it spread so quickly. The use of digital payment and encrypted PDFs suggests a well-organized operation, possibly involving insiders from examination centers.

The leak is a major embarrassment for the JAC board, as it raises questions about the fairness of the examination process. With thousands of students affected, strict action is expected against those responsible. The district administrations of Koderma and Giridih are now under pressure to identify and punish the culprits.