A recent report by central probing agencies has uncovered significant lapses in the conduct of the CSIR-NET exam at a test centre in Subharti University, Meerut. The National Testing Agency (NTA), which is responsible for conducting the exam, has come under intense scrutiny following the revelation of a cheating racket that involved exam centre staff, server operators, and external “remote paper solvers.”
The report highlights multiple breaches, starting with the involvement of exam centre employees who compromised the computer lab’s server where the online exam was held on July 27. The exam centre head and other staff members allegedly shared the IP addresses of candidates’ computer systems with remote solvers, allowing them to manipulate the exam in real time. This breach went undetected by the university, as well as state and central observers.
Investigations revealed that the exam centre head, with the assistance of the chief proctor and other staff members, set up a dedicated system with AnyDesk software, enabling remote access to the exam lab network. The report also noted a lack of network segmentation, meaning that critical systems like the exam server and CCTV were operating on the same network, further compromising security.
The cheating racket, which was charging candidates up to Rs 20 lakh, was exposed during a raid by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) on the day of the exam. Seven individuals, including the exam centre head, IT manager, and several candidates, were arrested. The scandal has prompted the Ministry of Education to form a seven-member panel to investigate the NTA’s conduct of national exams.
The report underscores the need for stricter monitoring and better-trained personnel at exam centres to prevent such incidents in the future.
