Student Sent to Jail for Cheating During NEET Re-Exam in Jaipur; 30 Arrested in Lakhisarai

Jaipur, June 22: A student was sent to jail on Monday after being caught using a mobile phone to cheat during the NEET re-examination. The police did not request custody remand from the court.

The accused, Himanshi Tiwari, appeared in court where she attempted to hide her face while leaving the premises. Authorities have initiated the process to send her mobile phone for forensic analysis. This investigation will determine whether she used AI tools to find answers or attempted to send exam questions outside the center.

The incident occurred at the Bindayaka examination center while the NEET re-exam was in progress. A teacher found her actions suspicious, leading to an investigation that uncovered the mobile phone hidden in her shirt buttons and undergarments.

During police questioning, Tiwari admitted to bringing the mobile phone to search for answers using AI tools. The phone has been confiscated and handed over to the police.

Further investigation revealed that photos of the NEET question paper were taken on the mobile phone approximately 15 minutes before the exam ended. However, she was unable to send these images outside due to a signal jammer installed near the examination center.

It was also discovered that the metal detector at the entrance beeped twice. When questioned by security staff, Tiwari attributed the beeping to metal hooks in her undergarments, which allowed her to enter the center.

Given the seriousness of the situation, police interrogated the examination center’s superintendent and staff late into the night. They are also investigating how the mobile phone made it inside and why it was not detected during security checks.

If the investigation confirms cheating, actions may be taken under public examination laws, which could result in up to five years in prison and fines of up to 1 million rupees.

This incident has been reported to the National Testing Agency.

In a related development, police in Lakhisarai, Bihar, arrested 30 individuals involved in misconduct during the NEET examination. A post on their social media platform ‘X’ revealed that during the NEET-UG re-exam held at four centers in Lakhisarai, they apprehended nine impersonators, one original candidate, two accomplices, and 18 biometric staff members.